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IT'  *»V 


Heroes  of  the  Nations 


A Series  of  Biographical  Studies  presenting  the 
lives  and  work  of  certain  representative  histori- 
cal characters,  about  whom  have  gathered  the 
traditions  of  the  nations  to  which  they  belong, 
and  who  have,  in  the  majority  of  instances,  been 
accepted  as  types  of  the  several  national  ideals. 


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FOR  FULL  LIST  SICE  END  OE  THIS  VOLUME 


MEXICO 


NATIONAL  FLAG  OF  MEXICO 


Frontispiece 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  NATIONS 


MEXICO 


SUSAN  HALE 


NEW  YORK 

G.  P.  PUTNAM’S  SONS 

LONDON:  T.  FISHER  UNWIN 
1908 


Copyright 

By  G.  P.  Putnam’s  Sons 
1888 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall , London 

B*  T.  Fisher  Unwin 


TEbc  TRnichcrbocfecr  Iprcss,  IHcw  IBotk 


CONTENTS. 


I. 

PAGE 

The  Subject i-ii 

View  from  a steamer,  I — Seen  by  Fernando  Cortes,  2 ; his 
ambition,  3 — Inhospitable  coast,  3— Vera  Cruz,  4 — Depart- 
ure, 4 — Climate  we  leave,  5 — Climate  we  are  seeking,  5 — 
Three  climates  of  Mexico,  6 — Anahuac,  6 ; Tierra  templada , 

7 — Scenery  of  the  plateau,  7 — Its  early  inhabitants,  8 — De- 
stroyed by  Cortes,  8 — Traditions  of  Anahuac,  9 — Teoca/lis 
changed  co  cathedrals,  9 — The  Conquistadores , io — Span- 
ish rulers,  10 — Two  emperors,  10 — Mexico  a republic,  11  ; 
its  past  and  future,  ri. 

II. 

Shadowy  Tribes 12-23 

Meaning  of  Anahuac,  12 — Tula,  formerly  Tollan,  13 — The 
Toltecs,  13 — Cholula  : its  legends,  14,  15,  16,  17,  iS,  19, 

20 — Mound  builders,  21 — Legends  of  the  Nahuas,  21 — 
Huehue-Tlapallan,  22 — Atlantis,  22 — Noah  of  the  Mexi- 
can tribes,  22 — Universal  fable  of  the  deluge,  23. 

III. 

Traditions  of  the  Toltecs  . . . 24-37 

Their  wanderings,  24  ; ruins  of  their  capital,  26  ; their  re- 
sources, 26  ; language,  27  ; early  faith,  27 — Cuernavaca,  28 
— Toluca,  28 — Power  of  their  ruler,  29 — Quetzalcoatl, 

The  Shining  Snake,  29  ; legends  of  his  career,  30 ; 
possible  facts,  32  ; mystery  of  his  departure,  32  ; image  in  the 
museum,  33  ; his  attributes,  33 — Evil  days  of  the  Toltecs, 

34 —  The  Agave  Americana,  34  ; its  properties,  35 — Maguey, 

35 —  Xochitl,  36  ; her  beverage,  36 — Deterioration  of  the 
Toltecs,  37  ; dates  of  their  wanderings,  37. 

iii 


IV 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


IV. 

PAGE 

Chichimecs  . . . . . . 38-44 

A new  dynasty,  38 — The  Chichimecs,  39  ; occupations  and 
customs,  39 — The  mark  of  a warrior,  39 — The  Serpent  of 
the  Clouds,  40 — The  invasion  of  Xolotl,  40 — Fall  of  Tol- 
lan,  41 — Territory  of  Xolotl,  41 — New  waves  of  emigration, 

42 — Wise  rulers,  42 — Texcuco,  42 — The  Aztecs,  43 — War 
with  Atzcapotzalco,  44 — Kingdom  of  Texcuco,  44. 

V. 

Nezahualcoyotl  ......  45~52 

The  young  prince,  45  ; in  captivity,  45  ; a faithful  friend, 

46 — Tlaxcaza,  46 — The  plateau  to-day,  46 — The  Malinche, 

46 — The  Land  of  Bread,  47 — A wise  tutor,  47 — Maxtla, 

48 — The  homage  of  Nezahualcoyotl,  48 — Maxtla’s  plot,  48 
— Open  enmity,  49 — Nezahualcoyotl's  escape,  49  ; his 
hiding,  50— Tyranny  of  Maxtla,  50 — The  true  prince 
triumphant,  51 — Maxtla  defeated  and  killed,  51 — The 
kingdom  of  Texcuco  Acolhuacan,  52. 

VI. 

Texcuco  .......  53-61 

The  Golden  Age,  53 — The  government,  53 — Council  of 
Music,  53 — Texcucan  literature,  54 — Lost  treasures,  54 — 

A royal  poet,  55 — The  Laughing  Hill,  56 — Artificial  lakes, 

56 — Ruins  of  Tezcotzinco,  56 — Baths  of  Montezuma,  57 — 

A blot  on  Nezahualcoyotl’s  fame,  57  ; a Mexican  Haroun 
al  Raschid,  5S  ; his  religion,  59 — From  anarchy  to  civiliza- 
tion, 59 — Nezahualpilli,  59 — Decline  of  Texcuco,  60 — A 
Texcucan  historian,  60 — Legend  or  fact?  Cl. 

VII. 

Michoacan  .......  62-69 

The  Land  of  Fish,  62 — Lonely  lakes,  62 — Patzcuaro,  63 — 

The  Place  of  Delights,  64 — The  first  settlers,  64 — Ire 
Titatacame,  65 — A dusky  princess,  65 — Tixiacuri,  the  first 
king  of  Michoacan,  66 — The  kingdom  divided,  66 — Tzint- 
zuntzan,  67 — The  glorious  reign  of  Zovanga,  67— A city  of 
birds,  67 — Fruitless  excavations,  6S — The  Tarascans,  68. 


CONTENTS. 


V 


VIII. 

PAGE 

Mayas 70-82 

The  first  wave  of  migration,  70 — Traces  of  Mayas  in 
Yucatan,  70 — A great  empire,  71— Nachan,  the  town  of  ser- 
pents, 72  ; its  ruin's  discovered,  72 — Palace  at  Palenque,  72 — 
Lofty  chambers  and  strange  bas-reliefs,  73 — The  Temple  of 
the  Cross,  74 — An  emblem  of  Christian  faith,  75 — Meaning 
of  the  tablets,  75 — Chichen-Itza,  76 — A religious  centre,  77 
— Paintings  and  bas-reliefs,  78 — Chaak  Mool,  the  tiger- 
chief,  78 — The  beautiful  Kinich,  78 — Tomb  of  Chaak 
Mool,  78 — Paved  roads  of  Yucatan,  79 — Votan  and  Zamna, 

80 — Mayan  legends,  80 — Weapons  and  armor,  81 — War 
with  the  Toltecs,  82. 

IX. 

Aztecs 83-95 

Best  known  of  the  Anahuac  tribes,  83 — Aztlan,  83 — The 
migration,  84 — Six  centuries  of  wanderings,  84 — The  name 
Mexican,  84, — Their  adopted  home,  84 — Chapultepec,  86 — 
Driven  to  the  islands,  87 — A wretched  life,  87 — Valor  of 
the  slaves,  87 — An  abiding  city,  87 — Tenochtitlan,  or 
Mexico,  88 — Advances  in  civilization,  88 — Results  of  mod- 
ern research,  89 — A king  chosen,  90 — Early  years  of  the 
kingdom,  91 — The  Princess  of  Cloth,  92 — Canoas,  92 — 
Chimalpopoca,  94 — The  usurpation,  94 — Maxtla,  95. 


X. 

Mexicans  .......  96-110 

Itzcoatl,  96 — Alliance  with  Texcuco,  96 — War  with  Max- 
tla, 96 — Victory  of  the  allies,  97 — Fall  of  the  Tepanec 
monarchy,  97 — “ The  Valley  Confederates,”  98 — Reign  of 
Motecuhzoma,  98 — Height  of  the  Mexican  power,  98 — 
Conquest  of  the  Chalcas,  99 — Inundation  and  famine,  99 — 

Raid  upon  neighboring  provinces,  100— Laws  of  Motecuh- 
zoma, 100  ; his  successor,  mi — Tizoc,  101 — The  Drinking- 
cup  of  the  Eagle,  101— Human  sacrifice,  102 — Temple 
built  by  Tizoc,  105 — Dikes,  105 — A despot,  106 — Extent  of 
the  kingdom,  106 — Religious  fanaticism,  108 — Doubtful 
records,  109. 


VI 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


XI. 

PACK 

Aztfx  Character  .....  111-123 

Unreliable  testimony,  ill — Hieroglyphics,  ill — Paintings, 

112 — ‘‘Wanderings  of  the  Aztecs,”  112 — Religion,  114 — A 
future  life,  114 — Funeral  customs,  114 — Domestic  life,  115 
— Laws,  115 — Music,  115 — The  Aztec  calendar,  1 15 — Divi- 
sions of  time,  1 16 — Names  of  days,  etc.,  117 — Opinions  of 
antiquarians,  117 — The  cycle,  118 — Unlucky  days,  118 — 
Agriculture,  119 — Irrigation,  119 — A gentle  race,  120 — The 
Priestesses,  121-— Coatlicue,  the  goddess  of  the  earth,  122 
— Source  of  Aztec  greatness,  122 — A fatal  policy,  123. 

XII. 

The  Last  of  the  Montezumas  . . 1 24-134 

Motecuhzoma  Xocoyotzin,  124  ; his  character,  124 — A 
coronation  festival,  125 — Royal  robes,  125 — The  life  of 
an  Aztec  king,  126  ; his  capital,  126 — Diaz’s  description,  127 
— A life  of  pleasure,  128 — State  correspondence,  128 — Cha- 
pultepec,  129 — Montezuma’s  cypress,  129— Clouds  on  the 
horizon,  130 — Sinister  predictions,  130 — The  coming  of  the 
white  men,  131 — An  unhappy  monarch,  131 — Landing  of 
the  strangers,  132 — Velasquez  de  Leon,  132  ; his  expedi- 
tion to  Yucatan,  133 — Grijalva  visits  Mexico,  133— Monte- 
zuma’s embassy,  133. 


XIII. 

Cortes  i 35-144 

Birth,  135  ; enters  the  army,  135  ; visits  Cuba,  135 — An 
attractive  portrait,  135 — Defects  of  character,  136 — Velas- 
quez and  Grijalva’s  expedition,  136 — A love  story,  137 — 
Cortes  receives  a commission,  137  ; his  companions,  137 — 
jealousy  of  Velasquez,  137 — The  squadron,  138 — Jerome 
d’  Aguilar,  138 — First  conflict  with  the  Aztecs,  139 — Palm 
Sunday,  139 — A happy  people,  140 — Rumors  of  danger, 

140—  Presents  to  the  strangers,  141 — Cortes  as  Quetzalcoatl, 

141 —  Easter,  141 — A perplexed  council,  142— -Mistaken 
policy,  142 — Vera  Cruz,  142 — Cortes  visits  Cempoallan, 

143 — Tlaxcalla,  143 — The  ships  destroyed.  144. 


CONTENTS. 


Vll 


XIV. 

PAGE 

Malintzi 145-150 

Her  birthplace,  145 — The  little  duchess  is  made  a slave, 

145 — Life  in  Tabasco,  146 — Arrival  of  Cortes,  146— Treaty 
of  alliance,  146 — The  heiress-slave  becomes  a Christian,  146 
— Marina  or  Malinche,  146 — A new  interpreter,  147 — A 
beautiful  picture,  147 — Splendid  gifts,  148 — Malintzi’s 
beauty,  149  ; her  devotion  to  Cortes,  149  ; its  result,  149. 

XV. 

Tlaxcalla  ......  151-157 

An  isolated  province,  151 — Exaggerated  reports,  151 — 
Efforts  for  the  friendship  of  the  Tlaxcallans,  152 — A trap 
for  the  Spaniards,  152 — A battle,  152 — Defeat  of  the  Tlax- 
callans, 153 — Peace  concluded,  153 — Christianity  intro- 
duced, 153 — Cholula,  154 — Slaughter  of  the  Cholultecas, 

154 — Alliance  with  Ixtlilxochitl,  154 — Cacamatzin  impris- 
oned, i£5—  Cortes  reaches  Mexico,  156 — Cortes  and  Monte- 
zuma, 157 — A lesson  and  a vow,  157. 

XVI. 

La  Noche  Triste 158-165 

Overtures  of  friendship,  158 — Bold  measures,  159 — Monte- 
zuma in  the  power  of  the  Spaniards,  159 — A rival  in  the 
field,  159 — Alvarado,  160 — The  feast  of  Huitzilopochtli, 

160 —  The  Spaniards  in  danger,  160 — Death  of  Montezuma, 

161 —  Mexican  traditions,  162 — Cortes  abandons  the  city, 

163 — A desperate  struggle,  163 — La  Noche  Triste,  164 — 

The  scene  of  the  battle,  i6j  ; the  losses,  165. 

XVII. 

Conquest 166-179 

An  interval  of  peace,  166 — The  new  emperor,  166 — A 
legacy  of  the  Spaniards,  167 — Cortes  in  extretnis,  167 — The 
Aztec  army,  16S — Battle  at  Otumba,  170 — The  Spaniards 
victorious,  170 — Preparations  for  defence,  171  — The  Span- 
iards in  Tlaxcalla,  171 — Ixtlilxochitl,  171 — Cortes  at 
Texcuco,  172 — A new  army  and  a new  fleet,  172 — The 
campaign  against  Mexico,  1 73-— Suffering  in  the  city,  174 — 


Vlll 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Surrender,  174 — The  city  destroyed,  175 — Cortes  at 
Coyoacan,  175 — Search  for  treasures,  175 — The  kings 
tortured,  175 — Military  rule,  176 — Subjugation  of  Michoa- 
can,  176 — Later  conquests,  177 — Death  of  the  Aztec  kings, 

178 — Later  life  of  Cortes,  178  ; return  to  Spain,  178  ; death, 

178  ; burial  in  Mexico,  179. 

XVIII. 

DoRa  Marina 180-183 

Her  position  in  the  camp,  180 — After  the  victory,  180 — 

Life  at  Coyoacan,  180 — Arrival  of  Dona  Catalina,  181  ; 
her  death,  182 — Insurrection  in  Honduras,  182 — Marriage 
of  Marina,  183  ; her  later  life  and  her  death,  183 — Cortes 
visits  Spain,  183 — A second  marriage,  183. 

XIX. 

Indians  184-190 

The  conquest  complete,  184 — The  name  Indian,  184 — 
Origin  of  the  Nahuatl  tribes,  1S5 — Distinguished  from  the 
North  American  Indian,  1S6 — Military  government,  188 — 

The  Ayuntamiento,  1S8 — The  Audiencia,  188 — Nuno  de 
Guzman,  189  ; his  cruelty  to  the  natives,  189— Guadalajara 
founded,  189 — A second  Audiencia , 189 — A viceroy  ap- 
pointed, 190 — Extent  of  New  Spain,  190. 

XX. 

The  First  of  the  Viceroys  . . , 191-202 

Antonio  de  Mendoza,  191  ; his  family  and  character,  191 — 
Reforms  instituted,  191 — Industries  encouraged,  192 — The 
Franciscans,  192 — Fray  Pedro,  192 — Foundation  of  schools 
and  colleges,  193 — Guadalajara  and  Valladolid,  193 — 
Michoacan  and  its  people,  194 — The  founding  of  a city, 

195 — Spanish  families  in  Mexico,  196 — Jews  and  Moors 
banished,  196 — Vasco  de  Quiroga,  197  ; his  life  in  Tarasco, 

197  ; his  church  at  Tzintzuntzan,  198 — A wonderful  picture, 

198 — The  cathedral  at  Morelia,  199 — Cortes  goes  to  Spain, 

200 — Popularity  of  the  viceroy,  200 — First  Mexican  book, 

202 — Departure  of  Mendoza,  202. 


CONTEXTS. 


IX 


XXI. 

PAGE 

Fray  Martin  de  Valencia  . . . 203-213 

Don  Luis  de  Velasco,  second  viceroy,  203 — New  institutions 
and  industries,  203 — Puebla  de  los  Angeles,  204  ; the 
tradition  of  its  founding,  204  ; the  situation,  206 — The  early 
ecclesiastics,  207 — The  worship  of  the  Virgin,  207 — The 
“twelve  apostles  of  Mexico,”  2oS  — Fray  Martin  of 
Valenc  a,  203  ; his  life  in  Amecameca,  20g  ; his  death,  210 
— Relics  of  F ray  Martin,  21 1 — An  object  of  reverence,  212 — 
Death  of  Velasco,  212 — A well-regulated  government,  213. 

XXII. 

Other  Viceroys  .....  214-223 

Eventsin  Spain,  214 — Philip  II.,  2:4 — -The  character  of  the 
viceroys,  215 — The  Inquisition,  216 — The  Quemadcro,  216 — 
Death  of  Philip,  217 — Inundations,  217 — Martinez  and  his 
canal.  218 — Successors  of  Philip,  219 — Wars  of  succession, 

220 — Revillagigedo,  220  ; anecdotes  of  his  administration, 

221. 

XXIII. 

Humboldt  .......  224-232 

A distinguished  visitor,  224  ; he  arrives  in  Mexico,  225— Re- 
marks on  the  carving,  225 — Academy  of  fine  arts,  226  ; its 
later  history,  227 — The  cathedral,  227 — Humboldt  at 
Chapultepec,  228;  The  market,  228 — Teotihuacan,  229 — 
Mexican  mines,  229 — Valenciana,  229 — At  Patzcuaro,  230 
— The  birth  of  a volcano,  231. 


XXIV. 

Revolutions 233-237 

Charles  III.  of  Spain,  233;  his  successor,  233 — Branciforte 
and  the  statue  of  Charles  IV.,  234 — Napoleon  invades 
Spain,  235 — A change  of  government,  235 — Juntas,  235 — 

The  Bourbons  restored,  235 — Iturrigaray  and  his  adminis- 
tration, 256— Revolt  in  the  air,  237 — The  policy  of  Spain, 

237 — Venegas,  237. 


X 


THE  STOR  Y OF  MEXICO. 


XXV. 

PAGE 

Hidalgo  .......  238-249 

Birth  and  education,  238 — Colegio  de  San  Nicholas,  238 — 

He  takes  orders,  238  ; life  at  Dolores,  240  ; bold  schemes, 

240 — Ignacio  Allende,  241  ; An  important  step,  241 — The 
Grito  de  Dolores , 242 — A new  army,  242 — Attack  on 
Guanajuato,  243 — A brave  boy,  243 — The  new  viceroy, 

243 — Hidalgo  excommunicated,  244 — Valladolid  taken, 

245 — Monte  de  la  Cruces,  245 — The  insurgents  defeated  at 
Aculco,  246 — Hidalgo  declared  Generalissimo,  246 — Battle 
of  Calderon,  247 — Capture  and  death  of  the  chiefs,  248  — 

End  of  the  struggle  for  independence,  248. 

XXVI. 

Morelos 250-257 

Birth  and  family,  250 — Morelia,  251 — Muleteer  and  student, 

251 — Morelos  joins  Hidalgo,  251 — Siege  of  Cuautla,  252 — 
Acapulco,  252 — First  Mexican  Congress,  252 — Declaration 
of  independence,  253 — Attack  on  Valladolid,  253 — Mis- 
haps, 254 — Morelos  a prisoner,  254 — Death  of  Morelos, 

255  ; his  character  and  aims,  255  ; his  object  achieved,  256. 

XXVII. 

Yturbide 258-271 

The  close  of  Calleja’s  administration,  258 — The  insurgents 
dispersed,  258 — Apodaca  and  Guerrero,  259 — Affairs  in 
Spain,  259 — Agustin  de  Yturbide,  260;  early  services, 

260  ; meets  Guerrero,  261 — “ Plan  of  Iguala,”  261 — The 
“ three  guaranties,”  261 — Advance  of  the  insurgents.  262 — 

The  viceroy  deposed,  262 — A successful  campaign,  263  — 
O’Donojii,  263 — Treaty  of  Cordova,  264 — Yturbide  enters 
the  capital,  264— The  Regency,  264 — The  Mexican  Empire 
founded,  265 — Work  of  the  new  government,  265 — Second 
Mexican  Congress,  265 — Yturbide  proclaimed  Emperor, 

266 — Signs  of  dissatisfaction,  267 — Santa  Anna,  267 — The 
Casa-Mata,  26S — Yturbide  banished,  268  ; his  return  to 
Mexico,  270  ; his  execution,  270  ; character  of  Yturbide, 

271. 


CONTENTS. 


XI 


XXVIII. 

PAGE 

Santa  Anna 272-280 

A confused  story,  272 — Santa  Anna,  273  ; his  connection 
with  Yturbide,  273 — The  Constitution,  273 — “ Guada- 
lupe ” Victoria,  273 — Expulsion  of  the  Spanish,  274 — A 
presidential  election,  274 — Mutiny  in  the  capital,  275 — 
Colonization  of  Texas,  276 — Pedraza,  276 — A Spanish  in- 
vasion, 277 — Santa  Anna  made  Commander-in-Chief,  277 
— Bustamente,  278 — Guerrero  betrayed  and  shot,  278 — 
Santa  Anna  becomes  President,  278 — Farias,  279 — Insur- 
rection in  Texas,  279. 


XXIX. 

Still  Santa  Anna 281-289 

Louis  Philippe,  281 — Redamacion  de  los pasleles,  281 — The 
French  repelled,  281 — Santa  Anna’s  home,  282 — Busta- 
mente recalled,  282 — Trouble  again,  283 — Mejia,  283 — A 
revolution  described,  284 — Bustamente  resigns,  288 — Santa 
Anna  triumphant,  288. 


XXX. 

Society  .......  290-300 

Madame  Calderon’s  journal,  290 — An  ambassador  from 
Spain,  290 — State  of  society,  291 — The  Paseo,  291 — The 
Viga,  292  — Women  in  Mexico,  292  — Good-Friday  in 
Mexico,  294 — Robbers,  297 — Guardias  Ruraies,  298 — A 
monarchy  proposed,  299. 


XXXI. 

Rumors  of  War  .....  301-310 

Results  of  the  Spanish  rule,  301 — Playing  at  independence, 

301 — The  appeal  to  arms,  302 — The  country  exhausted,  302 
— Misfortunes,  304— The  United  States,  304— Spread  of  its 
territory,  304 — Colonization  of  Texas,  305 — Moses  Austin, 

304 — Revolt  against  Mexico,  305  — Houston  and  Santa 
Anna,  305  — Texas  independent,  305  — Annexed  to  the 
United  States,  306 — Herrera,  Farias,  and  Paredes,  307 — 

The  Mexican  army,  308. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


xii 


XXXII. 

PAGE 

War  Begun  ......  3 11-322 

The  beginning  of  hostilities,  31 1 — Palo  Alto  and  Resaca  de 
la  Palma,  31 1 — The  war  carried  into  Mexico,  312 — Diffi- 
culty of  negotiation,  312 — “Indemnity  for  the  past,”  313 — 
California,  313 — Policy  of  the  United  States,  313 — Monte- 
rey taken,  314 — Fremont  enters  the  capital,  316 — Taylor’s 
campaign,  316 — Siege  of  Monterey,  318 — Ampudia’s  proc- 
lamation, 319 — Paredes  and  his  “ Plan,”  319 — Santa  Anna 
again,  320 — Fall  of  Paredes,  321 — Santa  Anna  at  the  capi- 
tal, 321 — A new  army,  321. 

XXXIII. 

Puebla  Lost  ......  323_332 

Scott  before  Vera  Cruz,  323 — Buena  Vista,  323 — Raising 
money,  323 — The  religious  orders  and  their  influence,  324 — 
Wealth  of  the  Church,  326 — Ecclesiastical  property  seized, 

327 —  Bombardment  of  Vera  Cruz,  328 — The  city  surrenders, 

328 —  Cerro  Gordo,  330 — Santa  Anna  at  Puebla,  330 — Pue- 
bla occupied  by  the  Americans,  331 — Guadalupe  and  its 
surroundings,  331 — Santa  Anna  as  Dictator,  332 — Patriot- 
ism aroused,  332. 

XXXIV. 

Chapultepec  Taken  ....  333~34r 

The  approach  to  the  capital,  333 — Churubusco,  333 — Docile 
Indians,  333 — Another  victory  for  the  Americans,  334 — 
Molino  de  Rey,  334 — Chapultepec  taken,  336 — Occupation 
of  the  capital,  336 — Treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo,  338 — 
Discovery  of  gold,  338 — Effects  of  the  war,  339 — Attempts 
to  capture  Santa  Anna,  340 — Santa  Anna  retires  to  Jamaica, 

341 — Grant  in  the  Mexican  war,  341. 

XXXV. 

Benito  Juarez 342-347 

Peace  restored,  342 — Herrera  and  his  administration,  342 — 
Santa  Anna  again  Dictator,  344 — An  epoch  of  reform,  344 
— Clerigos  and  liberates,  344 — Benito  Juarez,  344  ; his  early 
life,  345  ; governor  and  exile,  345  ; restored  to  office,  346 — 

A new  Constitution,  346 — Juarez  becomes  President,  346 — 
P'oreign  intervention,  347. 


CONTENTS. 


Xin 


XXXVI. 

PAGE 

French  Intervention  ....  348-356 

A foreign  squadron,  348 — The  pretext  and  the  cause,  348 — 
Spain  and  England  withdraw,  349 — The  policy  of  Napoleon 
III.,  349 — A proposed  empire,  349  — Maximilian,  350; 
dreams  of  “ the  right  divine,”  352 — The  French  troops 
advance  on  the  capital,  353— Divisions  in  Mexico  353 — 

The  Cinco  de  Mayo,  354 — A bold  attack,  355 — Defence  of 
Puebla,  356. 

XXXVII. 

The  Empire  under  Protection  . . 357-364 

The  sovereigns  arrive,  357 — The  imperialist  party,  357 — 
Reception  of  Maximilian,  358 — Relics  of  royalty,  359 — • 
Military  affairs,  360— The  new  government,  362 — Chapul- 
tepec  restored,  363 — Society  at  the  capital,  363 — Apparent 
prosperity,  364. 

XXXVIII. 

The  Unprotected  Empire  . . . 365-372 

Action  of  the  United  States,  365 — Responsibility  for  the 
intervention,  366 — The  final  word  of  Napoleon,  367 — Car- 
lotta  goes  to  Europe,  368 — Her  interview  with  Napoleon, 

369 — Maximilian  leaves  the  capital,  370 — At  Orizaba,  371 — 
Father  Fischer,  371 — The  Emperor’s  manifesto,  372. 

XXXIX. 

Maximilian  ......  373-382 

The  French  army  withdrawn,  373 — Advance  of  Juarez,  374 
— The  Emperor  and  his  attendants,  374 — Investment  of 
Queretaro,  375 — Marquez  and  Diaz,  375 — Personal  appear- 
ance of  the  Emperor,  376 — The  treachery  of  Lopez,  377 — 
Maximilian  a prisoner,  378  ; his  death,  380. 

XL. 

End  of  the  Episode  ....  383-385 

General  Vidaurri,  383 — The  escape  of  Marquez,  384 — - 
General  Diaz,  384 — Puebla,  385 — Vigor  of  the  liberal  gov- 
ernment, 385. 


xiv  THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

XLI. 

PAGE 

The  Last  of  Santa  Anna  . . . 386-391 

Juarez  enters  the  capital,  386 — Peace  established,  387 — 
Santa  Anna  in  retirement,  387  ; his  exile  and  death,  3S8 — 
Character  of  Juarez,  389 — Civil  war  again,  390 — Death  of 
Juarez,  390 — Lerdo  becomes  President,  391. 

XLII. 

Porfirio  Diaz 392-401 

A new  “Plan,”  392 — Birthplace  of  Diaz,  392 — Scenery  of 
Oaxaca,  393 — The  Zapotecas,  393 — Ruins  of  Mitla,  394 — 
Early  life  of  Diaz,  394  ; his  military  achievements,  395 — 

An  escape  from  hostile  troops,  396 — Triumph  of  the  oppo- 
sition, 396 — Diaz  proclaimed  President,  397 — Presidency 
of  Gonsalez,  39S — Policy  of  Diaz,  399 — Chapultepec  at  the 
present  day,  399 — Hope  for  the  Indian,  400 — Prospects  of 
development,  401. 


XLIII. 

Physical  Advantages  ....  402-41 1 

Climate  and  vegetation,  402 — Mexican  flora,  403 — The 
market-place,  404 — A family  group,  404 — Native  pottery, 

405 — The  cargador , 405 — Wearing  apparel,  406 — Serape 
and  rebozo,  406,  407 — The  cotton  industry,  408 — The 
source  of  Mexican  wealth,  409. 

XLIV. 

Future 412-419 

Influence  of  the  Catholic  Fathers,  412 — Extinction  of 
monasteries,  412 — The  parish  priest,  413 — The  Mozarabic 
liturgy,  413 — A missionary  field,  414 — The  policy  of  the 
government,  414  — Schools,  415  — Literature  in  modern 
Mexico,  416 — The  Mexican-Spaniard,  417 — Railways, 418 — 
Brighter  days  to  come,  419. 


Index 


• i 


421 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE 


Mexican  Flag 

Frontispiece. 

Valley  of  Tula  . 

U 

Column  from  Tula 

24 

Ruins  found  at  Tula  . ' 

25 

Quetzalcoatl 

31 

Portico  at  Kaboh 

43 

Vase  in  the  National  Museum, 

Washington 

63 

Casa  del  Gobernador,  Uxmal 

7 1 

Statue  from  Palenque 

73 

Tablet  of  Cross  at  Palenque 

74 

Mayan  Bas-Relief 

77 

Statue  of  Chaak  Mool 

79 

Zamna  . . . ■ 

81 

Organ  Cactus 

85 

Idol  in  Terra-Cotta  . 

89 

Canal  outside  the  City  of  Mexico 

93 

Stone  of  Tizoc 

103 

Sculpture  Representing  Human  Sacrifice 

107 

Court  of  the  Museum  at  Mexico 

11 3 

Vase.  Museum  at  Mexico  . 

120 

Pyramid  at  Teotihuacan  . 

169 

Early  Pottery  . 

187 

Cathedral  at  Morelia 

201 

Puebla  de  Los  Angeles 

205 

Temple  of  Xochicalco 

225 

Cactus  Hedge 

239 

XV 


xvi  THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

FACE 

Panorama  of  Puebla 269 

Indian  Hut  in  the  Tierra  Caliente  . . 283 

Cathedral,  City  of  Mexico  ....  289 

The  Viga 293 

Valley  of  Mexico 303 

Monterey,  Mexico 315 

General  Taylor 317 

General  Scott  .......  325 

Siege  of  Vera  Cruz 329 

Battle  of  Moling  del  Rey  ....  335 

Storming  of  Chapultepec  ....  337 
Benito  Juarez  .......  343 

Archduke  Maximilian* 351 

San  Luis  Potosi 359 

Chapultepec  in  the  Time  of  Maximilian  . . 361 

Head-quarters  of  Juarez  at  San  Luisde  Potosi  379 
The  Convent  of  Capuchinas  ....  381 

Zapotec  Ornament  ......  393 

Image  of  a Zapotec  Chief  .....  394 

President  Porfirio  Diaz 397 

Aqueduct  in  the  City  of  Mexico  . . . 410 

* From  “ The  Fall  of  Maximilian’s  Empire.”  By  permission  of 
the  author,  Seaton  Schroeder,  Lieut.  U.  S.  N. 


For  a number  of  these  illustrations  the  publishers  are  indebted  to 
the  courtesy  of  Messrs.  Ilochette  & Co.,  publishers  of  “ Le  Voyage 
au  Mexique,”  by  Jules  Leclercq. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


i. 

THE  SUBJECT. 

The  steamer  stops,  and  wc  are  lying  off  Vera 
Cruz,  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Half  a mile  off,  the 
long,  low  shore  stretches  north  and  south,  with  the 
white  town  upon  it,  flat  roofs  making  level  lines  on 
the  houses  glaring  in  the  morning  sunlight,  domes 
and  church  towers  rising  above  the  rest ; glimpses  of 
bright  green  tree-tops  are  to  be  seen,  but  outside  the 
city  all  is  barren  and  waste.  The  plain  behind  rolls 
up,  however,  and  the  background  is  the  peak  of 
snow-capped  Orizaba,  silent,  lofty,  17,356  feet  above 
our  level. 

This  is  what  we  see  to-day,  leaning  over  the  bul- 
wark of  our  large  luxurious  steamer  which  has 
brought  us,  easily,  from  Havana  in  a few  days,  over 
the  smooth,  green  waters  of  the  Gulf.  Our  only 
anxiety  has  been  the  possible  chance  of  a “ Norther,” 
which  may  break  loose  at  any  time  in  that  region, 
sweeping  over  the  waters  with  fury  and  driving  the 
stoutest  vessels  away  from  the  coast  they  would  ap- 


1 


2 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


proach.  Our  only  exertion  has  been  to  keep  cool 
upon  the  pleasant  deck,  and  to  take  enough  exercise 
to  be  able  to  enjoy  the  frequent  food  provided  by 
the  admirable  chef  of  the  steamer. 

The  scenery  is  the  same  that  Fernando  Cortes 
looked  upon,  some  three  hundred  years  ago,  when 
he,  too,  cast  anchor  about  half  a mile  from  the  coast, 
and  scanned  the  shore  with  an  anxious  eye,  to  find  a 
suitable  landing.  Orizaba  rose  before  him,  as  now  we 
see  it,  stately,  majestic,  cold  and  forbidding,  under  its 
mantle  of  snow. 

We  must  envy  the  adventurer,  in  spite  of  our  ad- 
vantages in  the  way  of  ease  and  comfort.  He  stood 
upon  the  cramped  deck  of  his  little  vessel,  sur- 
rounded by  a handful  of  men,  with  a limited  amount 
of  provisions,  and  great  uncertainty  about  the  next 
supply.  No  town  stretched  out  its  sheltering  walls 
before  him  ; there  was  scarcely  harborage  for  his 
ships.  Yet  he  had  the  advantage  of  absolute  novelty 
in  his  undertaking  from  the  moment  he  himself,  with 
his  little  band,  led  the  way  up  the  steep  slope  to 
Anahuac. 

Every  true  traveller  has  some  of  the  instincts  of 
the  explorer  in  him,  and  these  instincts  must  make  us 
envy  the  prospect  which  lay  before  Cortes  as  he  ap- 
proached in  the  Bay  of  VeraCruz  the  real  beginning 
of  his  enterprise.  There  was  the  shore  of  the  new 
country,  where  he  might  plant  his  “rich  city  of  the. 
true  cross.”  There  was  the  cold  mountain  which 
might  contain  in  its  depths  the  treasure  he  was  seek- 
ing, and  beyond  it  was  the  rumored  Empire  he 
longed  to  conquer.  At  that  moment,  no  fear,  no 


THE  SUBJECT. 


discouragement,  held  back  the  eager  steps  with  which 
he  sprang  into  his  boat,  and  beckoned  his  compan- 
ions to  follow  him. 

Cortes  fulfilled  his  ambition,  achieved  his  task, 
with  what  difficulties,  through  what  straits  and  fail- 
ures, we  shall  have  later  to  see.  He  scaled  the  sides 
of  Orizaba,  reached  the  lofty  plateau,  and  seized  the 
ancient  citadel  of  the  Montezumas.  Civilization  has 
trodden  smooth  the  rough  path  he  first  opened,  and 
railroads  now  make  it  easy  to  climb  the  pass  so  ar- 
duous for  him.  If  our  journey  lacks  the  element  of 
constant  discovery  which  belonged  to  his,  we  have 
gained  that  of  wonder  and  amazement  at  the  diffi- 
culties he  surmounted.  Moreover,  he  came  in  igno- 
rance of  what  he  was  to  find,  with  a blind  desire  for 
conquest,  investing  the  region  he  approached  with 
imaginary  attractions.  We  know  beforehand,  as  we 
begin  to  explore  the  country,  that  its  legends  and 
romances  are  as  fascinating  as  its  mines  are  deep  ; 
that  its  story  is  as  picturesque  as  the  lofty  ranges 
and  deep  rolling  valleys  which  make  the  charm  of  its 
scenery. 

An  inhospitable  coast  borders  the  treacherous, 
though  beautiful,  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Its  waters  look 
smiling  and  placid,  but  at  any  season  the  furious 
“ Norther  ” may  break  loose,  sweeping  with  fearful 
suddenness  over  its  surface,  lashing  its  lately  smiling 
waves  into  fury,  threatening  every  vessel  with  de- 
struction. Low  sand-bars  offer  little  shelter  from  the 
blast.  Ships  must  stand  off  the  coast  until  the 
tempest  shall  be  past. 

The  country  offers  nothing  better  to  its  landed 


4 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


guests.  Vomito  lurks  in  the  streets  of  Vera  Cruz  to 
seize  upon  strangers  and  hurry  them  off  to  a wretched 
grave.  All  the  pests  of  a tropical  region  infest  the 
low  lands  running  back  from  the  sea.  Splendid 
vegetation  hides  unpleasant  animals,  and  snakes  are 
lurking  among  the  beautiful  blue  morning-glories 
that  festoon  the  tangled  forests.  Let  us  hasten 
away  from  these  dangers,  and  climb  the  slope  that 
leads  to  a purer  air. 

We  have  escaped  the  terrors  of  the  custom-house 
at  Vera  Cruz,  from  which,  by  the  way,  Cortes  was 
exempt,  and  after  a doubtful  night  in  the  hotel, 
serenaded  by  swarms  of  Vera  Cruz  mosquitoes,  at 
early  dawn  we  creep  stealthily  from  our  chambers, 
not  to  disturb  the  few  misguided  guests  who  mean 
to  stay  a little  longer,  and  follow  the  dusky  carga- 
dorcs,  bearing  our  baggage  on  their  backs,  down  into 
the  silent  street.  In  Mexico  there  is  no  effort  on 
the  part  of  an  hotel  proprietor  to  speed  the  parting 
guest.  He  signs  the  bill  overnight  and  betakes 
himself  to  repose,  undisturbed  by  the  exodus  in 
early  morning.  The  cargadores  who  have  agreed  to 
attend  to  the  luggage  rouse  their  sleeping  prey  and 
lead  them  through  a wide,  straight  street  to  the 
railroad  station.  There  is  no  sign  of  breakfast  at 
the  hotel.  Nobody  is  stirring  but  one  sleepy  inn- 
keeper. Hard  by  the  station,  as  in  every  Mexican 
town,  is  a cafe,  where  excellent  hot  coffee  is  fur- 
nished, with  plenty  of  boiled  milk  and  good  bread 
in  many  and  various  forms.  Here  we  may  sit  and 
refresh  ourselves  with  cup  after  cup,  if  we  like,  until 
the  short,  sharp  whistle  of  the  steam-engine  warns 


THE  SUBJECT. 


5 


us  to  take  the  train.  Heavy  baggage  was,  or  should 
have  been,  weighed  and  registered  overnight. 

It  is  but  six  o’clock  as  we  move  out  of  the  station. 
A big  sun  is  slowly  rising  over  the  dry,  hot  chappar- 
ral  outside  the  city.  Although  it  is  early  April,  all 
is  parched  like  midsummer.  Soon,  however,  we 
begin  to  climb,  and,  as  we  ascend,  pass  through 
forests  of  wonderful  growth.  Sugar-cane  and  coffee 
plantations  now  appear  ; and  the  trees  are  hung  with 
orchids,  tangled  with  vines  bright  with  blossoms, 
many  of  them  fruit-trees  now  in  flower,  one  mass  of 
white  or  pink.  The  road  crosses  water-falls,  winds 
round  ravines,  under  mountains,  through  tunnels, 
climbing  ever  higher  and  higher,  until  Cordoba  is 
reached  at  an  elevation  of  over  2,000  feet.  This 
town  is  surrounded  and  invaded  by  coffee  plan- 
tations and  orange  groves.  At  the  station  baskets 
of  delicious  fruits  are  offered  us — oranges,  bana- 
nas, grenaditas,  mangoes.  Here  we  bid  farewell  to 
the  tropics,  and  forget  the  snakes  and  the  fear  of 
vomit  o. 

The  climate  we  are  seeking  is  not  a tropical  one. 
Whoever  associates  Mexico  with  the  characteristics 
of  heat,  malaria,  venomous  reptiles,  has  received  a 
wrong  impression  of  it.  Such  places,  with  their 
drawbacks,  exist  within  the  geographical  limits  of 
the  country,  but  it  is  wholly  unnecessary  to  seek 
them  ; for  the  towns  of  historical  and  picturesque 
interest  are  above  the  reach  of  tropical  dangers,  for 
the  most  part,  while  there  are  seasons  of  the  year 
when  even  the  warmer  portions  can  be  visited  with 
safety  and  delight.  At  Orizaba  the  climate  is  tern- 


6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


perate,  fresh,  and  cool,  beginning  to  have  the  ele- 
ments of  mountain  altitudes.  It  is  veil  to  stop 
here  for  a day  or  two  to  become  accustomed  to  the 
rarer  air.  It  is  a summer  place  of  recreation  for  the 
inhabitants  of  Vera  Cruz,  while  in  winter  it  is  a 
favorite  excursion  from  the  places  higher  up  on  the 
plateau. 

As  we  are  travelling  only  in  imagination,  we  may 
safely,  without  pause,  press  upward  to  the  great 
plateau  where  most  of  the  scene  is  laid  of  our  story. 
For  Mexico,  with  the  exception  of  the  narrow  border 
of  sea-coast  we  have  just  crossed,  is  a lofty  table- 
land between  two  oceans,  a mountain  ridge  continued 
up  from  the  Andes  in  South  America,  contracted  at 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  a narrow  chain  of  granite, 
to  grow  broad  in  Mexico  as  it  stretches  to  the  north- 
west, until  it  spreads,  at  an  elevation  from  4,000  to 
8,000  feet,  almost  from  ocean  to  gulf.  This  is  Ana- 
huac,  the  so-called  table-land  of  Mexico,  a broad 
plateau  upon  which  the  picturesque  romantic  drama 
of  Mexican  history  has  been  played.  Upon  this 
high  plateau,  which  is  by  no  means  level,  rise  the 
crests  of  the  great  volcanic  ridges,  of  which  the 
highest  are  Popocatepetl  and  Istacdhuatl.  The 
table-land  rolls  off  northward  at  first,  keeping  its 
high  level,  growing  narrower,  gradually  sinking  as  it 
approaches  the  Rio  Grande,  until  at  the  boundary 
line  of  the  United  States  it  has  fallen  to  3,000  feet. 

Thus  Mexico  possesses  three  well  defined  climates, 
due  to  variation  in  altitude  : the  tierra  caliente , or 
hot  lands  of  the  coast  ; the  tierra  tcmplada,  or  tem- 
perate region  ; and  the  tierra  fria,  the  cold  regions 


THE  SUBJECT. 


7 


of  the  mountain  tops,  more  than  6,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.  These  climates,  moreover,  are 
modified  by  the  latitude,  so  that  between  the  cold 
altitudes  of  the  northern  portions,  and  the  warm 
tropical  levels  of  the  south,  there  is  a vast  range  of 
atmospheric  change. 

Our  story  has  its  stage,  for  the  most  part  in  the 
tierra  templada,  where  the  year  is  divided  into  two 
seasons:  the  dry  season,  from  November  to  May; 
the  rainy  one,  from  June  to  October.  The  pleasant- 
er one  is  the  rainy  one,  in  spite  of  its  name.  The 
rains  are  not  continuous,  but  fall  usually  late  in  the 
afternoon  and  during  the  night,  leaving  the  morning 
bright  and  clear,  and  the  air  deliciously  fresh  and 
cool.  All  the  year  roses  bloom  in  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico, and  there  are  places  where  you  may  eat  straw- 
berries every  day  in  the  three  hundred  and  sixty 
five. 

Spreading  over  the  greater  part  of  this  lofty 
region,  there  are  broad,  level  plains  of  rich  verdure, 
bright  with  all  imaginable  wild-flowers  growing  in 
profusion  ; large  lakes,  as  picturesque  as  those  of 
Northern  Italy,  surrounded  by  hills  that  are  moun- 
tains, reckoning  from  the  sea  level  ; lofty  mountain 
peaks,  eternally  snow-covered,  barren  and  rocky  be- 
low their  snow-summits,  then  clothed  with  pine,  and 
nearer  at  hand  with  fine  oaks  and  other  trees  of  tem- 
perate climates.  Brawling  streams  water  the  valleys, 
and  at  the  edge  of  the  plateau  make  deep  barrancas, 
whose  depths  reach  to  the  lower  level,  their  danger- 
ous chasms  hidden  by  rich  growths. 

On  this  elevated  plateau,  which  with  all  its  va- 


8 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


riety  seems  a world  of  its  own,  until  within  the 
period  of  modern  inventions  all  but  inaccessible  to 
the  lower  country  and  the  ocean  beyond,  we  find  the 
traces  of  an  ancient  civilization,  reaching  backward 
until  it  is  lost  in  legend.  Long  before  the  invasion 
of  Anahuac  by  Cortes,  it  was  inhabited  by  intelligent 
races  of  men.  The  mystery  which  hangs  about 
these  people  makes  the  search  for  their  history  full 
of  interest.  In  the  present  native  population,  we 
seek  to  find  some  clue  to  the  manners  and  customs 
of  the  first  inhabitants,  by  which  to  read  the  mean- 
ing of  the  monuments  they  have  left.  They  are 
gone,  their  institutions  overthrown  by  a power 
stronger  than  they  were,  by  reason  of  the  resources 
of  advancing  civilization,  their  idols  and  temples 
overturned  by  the  zealots  of  another  belief. 

Outraged  by  the  human  sacrifices  of  the  Mexican 
tribes,  Cortes  destroyed,  with  a reckless  hand,  all  the 
evidences  of  what  he  regarded  heathen  worship.  In 
so  doing,  the  records  of  the  race  were  lost,  together 
with  carved  images  of  gods.  It  is  unfortunate  that 
his  zeal  was  not  tempered  with  discrimination,  for  it 
is  now  difficult,  through  the  clouds  of  exaggeration 
surrounding  the  Spanish  Conquistadores,  to  find  out 
what  sort  of  people  they  were,  who  preceded  them 
on  Anahuac. 

Empires  and  palaces,  luxury  and  splendor  fill  the 
accounts  of  the  Spaniards,  and  imagination  loves  to 
adorn  the  halls  of  the  Montezumas  with  the  glories 
of  an  Oriental  tale.  Later  explorers,  with  the  fatal 
penetration  of  our  time,  destroy  the  splendid  vision, 
reducing  the  emperor  to  a chieftain,  the  glittering 


THE  SUBJECT. 


9 


retinue  to  a horde  of  savages,  the  magnificent  capi- 
tal of  palaces  to  a pueblo  of  adobe.  The  discouraged 
enthusiast  sees  his  magnificent  civilization  devoted 
to  art,  literature,  and  luxury,  reduced  to  a few  hand- 
fuls of  pitiful  Indians,  quarrelling  with  one  another  for 
supremacy,  and  sighs  to  think  his  sympathies  may 
have  been  wasted  on  the  sufferings  of  an  Aztec 
sovereign  dethroned  by  the  invading  Spaniard. 

Yet  perseverence,  after  brushing  away  the  spark- 
ling cobwebs  of  exaggerated  report,  finds  enough 
fact  left  to  build  up  a respectable  case  for  the  early 
races  of  Mexico.  Visible  proofs  of  their  importance 
exist  in  the  monuments,  picture  writings,  and,  above 
all,  their  traditions,  which,  at  all  events,  remain  a 
pretty  story,  with  a sediment  of  facts  the  student 
may  precipitate  for  himself.  These  traditions  make 
of  the  early  settlers  of  Anahuac  a very  interesting 
study,  all  the  more  from  their  shadowy  nature,  leav- 
ing still  much  margin  for  fancy. 

They  were  overwhelmed  by  the  Spaniards,  but  not 
destroyed,  for  the  descendants  of  the  conquered  races 
still  form  a large  proportion  of  the  population  of 
Mexico.  Their  tcocallis  and  hideous  carved  gods 
gave  way  to  Roman  Catholic  cathedrals  and  images 
of  the  Holy  Virgin.  Spanish  viceroys,  after  the  first 
atrocities  of  military  discipline,  ruled  the  gentle  de- 
scendants of  the  Aztecs  with  a control  for  the  most 
part  mild  and  beneficent.  The  Catholic  fathers  who 
crossed  the  ocean  to  labor  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of 
the  natives,  wisely  engrafted  upon  the  mysteries  of 
their  own  faith  the  legends  and  superstitions  of  the 
older  belief.  Thus  we  find  in  many  of  the  religious 


IO 


TIIE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ceremonies  in  Mexico,  a wild,  picturesque  element, 
which  is  lacking  in  the  church  festivals  of  the  Old 
World. 

When  the  Conquistadores  took  possession  of  the 
New  Spain  in  the  name  of  their  royal  master,  the 
Emperor  Charles  V.,  he  was  one  of  the  most  power- 
ful of  earthly  monarchs.  His  son,  Philip  II.,  re- 
ceived the  country  as  a part  of  his  inheritance,  along 
with  realms  which  made  him  even  greater  than  his 
father.  But  the  successors  of  Philip  II.  knew  not 
how  to  hold  the  possessions  their  fathers  had  won. 
Piece  by  piece  their  distant  provinces  were  lost  to 
them.  Mexico,  after  two  hundred  years  of  neglect 
and  mismanagement,  shook  herself  free  from  Spanish 
rule  ; since  the  early  part  of  this  century  she  has 
called  herself  independent,  with  the  exception  of  the 
two  brief  periods  when  the  ambition  of  two  men, 
differing  widely  from  each  other  in  their  antecedents 
and  aims,  caused  them  to  attempt  the  role  of  “ Em- 
peror of  Mexico.”  Iturbide  was  the  former  of  these; 
the  latter,  the  ill-advised  Maximilian.  For  the  last 
twenty  years,  since  the  fall  of  Maximilian,  Mexico 
has  been  a republic,  with  all  the  varying  fortunes 
that  attend  a young  institution  struggling  with  in- 
experience and  difficulty.  A native  population  with 
an  inheritance  of  superstition,  prejudice,  and  oppres- 
sion, mixed  with  a race  whose  traditions  are  all  in 
favor  of  arbitrary  government,  supplemented  by 
immigrants  from  every  other  nation  who  have  come, 
often  with  lawless  intent,  seldom  with  disinterested 
motives,  and  never  inspired  by  any  feeling  that 
could  be  called  patriotism,  must  wait  long  for  that 


THE  SUBJECT. 


1 1 


unanimity  of  public  opinion  and  harmony  of  interest 
which  ensure  good  government. 

At  times  it  has  seemed  that  no  good  could  emerge 
from  such  opposing  elements  ; yet  nature  has  fur- 
nished to  Mexico  material  for  a long  siege  ; broad 
territory  with  a faultless  climate,  mountains  rich  in 
every  mineral  resource,  valleys  well  adapted  for 
cultivation  and  grazing,  a land  where  every  industry 
may,  under  a stable  government,  be  pursued  with 
success.  The  character  of  the  descendant  of  the 
Aztecs  is  mild  and  docile,  capable,  as  many  people 
think,  of  high  development  by  education  ; such  bad 
qualities  as  Mexicans  have  developed  from  Spanish 
inheritance  are,  it  is  hoped,  giving  way  before  the 
progress  of  civilization  and  education. 

The  past  of  the  people  who  live  upon  Anahuac  is 
wrapped  in  mystery.  So  is  their  future.  Both  are 
interesting  problems,  to  be  worked  out  from  the 
legends  of  old  time,  and  the  narrative  of  the 
present. 


II. 


SHADOWY  TRIBES. 

Anahuac  means  “ by  the  water.”  It  is  the  ancient 
name  for  the  great  tract  of  land  surrounding  the 
lakes  in  the  lofty  valley  of  Mexico,— Chaleo  and 
Xochimilco,  which  are  but  one  lake,  properly  speak- 
ing, the  large  Lake  of  Texcuco,  and  the  smaller 
ones  Zumpango  and  San  Christobal.  At  first  the 
name  Anahuac  was  applied  only  to  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  lakes,  but  later  it  came  to  be  applied  to 
the  whole  plateau. 

The  Conquistadores,  according  to  their  own  glow- 
ing account,  found  upon  the  shores  of  these  lakes  a 
busy  population,  with  all  the  evidences  of  industry 
and  prosperity.  Temples,  erected  for  worship,  con- 
taining the  images  of  strange  gods,  stood  in  the 
lofty  places.  Their  monarch  lived  in  a palace  of 
luxury,  surrounded  by  his  guards  ; he  controlled  a 
large  army,  which  did  battle  for  him  against  his 
enemies.  His  swift-footed  messengers,  without 
steam,  without  even  horses,  did  his  bidding  even 
to  the  shores  of  the  distant  sea.  Without  printing, 
or  telegraph,  he  received  prompt  information  of 
distant  events  by  pictures  made  on  the  spot  by  his 
special  artist.  Here  was  a civilization  which  had  re- 


13 


SHADOWY  TRIBES. 


13 


ceived  nothing  from  the  courts  of  Europe,  whose 
forms  and  ceremonies,  while  as  rigid  and  as  grand, 
borrowed  nothing  from  the  traditions  of  the  royal 
house  of  Spain. 

Whence  came  this  proud  people  which  had  con- 
quered for  itself  a place  in  that  valley  of  the  perfect 
climate  ? 

About  fifty  miles  from  the  city  of  Mexico  is  a 
town  named  Tula,  formerly  Tollan,  which  means 
perhaps  “ the  place  of  many  people.”  A road, 
shaded  by  great  ash-trees  leads  across  the  river  Tula, 
through  a narrow  pass  to  some  ruins  of  an  ancient 
civilization,  ruins  already  when  the  city  of  Monte- 
zuma, which  Cortes  found  flourishing,  arose.  A 
building  of  ancient  stone  is  still  there,  laid  in  mud 
and  covered  with  hard  cement  of  a ruddy  tint,  with 
which  the  floors  are  also  covered.  The  largest  room 
in  the  building  is  not  more  than  fifteen  feet  square. 
Another  building  farther  on,  larger  than  the  first,  is 
called  the  Casa  Grande ; it  contains  about  thirty 
small  rooms,  connected  by  stairways,  as  their  height 
above  the  ground  varies.  The  plaza  of  the  little 
town  Tula  contains  the  portion  of  a column  and 
the  lower  half  of  a colossal  statue,  which  belong, 
as  well  as  the  buildings  just  described,  to  the  period 
of  the  Toltecs,  whose  capital  was  the  ancient  Tol- 
lan. Their  city  was  abandoned  a hundred  years  be- 
fore the  Aztecs  entered  it,  and  its  founders  scat- 
tered. Whence  came  the  shadowy  race  whose 
history  vaguely  underlies  that  of  later  Mexican 
races  ? 

The  great  mound  which  since  Humboldt’s  time  has 


H 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


been  called  the  pyramid  of  Cholula,  of  which  every 
child  has  seen  a pic*"  ire  in  his  geography,  has  now 
all  the  appearance  of  a natural  hill.  It  is  overgrown 
with  verdure  and  trees ; torrents  of  water  in  the 
rainy  seasons  have  cut  crevices  in  its  sides,  and  laid 
bare  wide  spaces.  A good  paved  road  now  leads  to 
the  summit,  where  a pretty  modern  church  looks 
down  upon  the  little  town  of  Cholula  huddled 
round  the  base  of  the  pyramid.  The  church  and 
the  road  leading  to  it  are  the  work  of  the  Spaniards, 
but  examination  proves  the  whole  mound  to  be 
built  by  men  out  of  earth,  broken  limestone,  little 
pebbles,  and  small  bits  of  lava.  Sun-dried  bricks 
were  employed,  of  varying  sizes  and  different  make, 
which  aids  the  idea  that  the  mound  was  built 
slowly  and  by  differing  methods.  On  the  platform 
at  the  top,  which  was  reached  by  five  successive  ter- 
races, Cortes  found  a temple,  which  he  caused  to  be 
destroyed.  The  dates  fixed  for  the  erection  of  this 
pyramid  vary  from  the  seventh  to  the  tenth  century 
of  our  era.  Conjecture  only  offers  explanation  of 
the  purpose  for  which  it  was  erected.  Legends 
which  the  neighboring  Indians  preserve  say  that  it 
was  built  in  preparation  for  a second  deluge.  An- 
other version  is  that  men  dazzled  by  the  splendor  of 
the  scene  sought  to  erect  a tower  which  should  reach 
the  firmament ; the  heavenly  powers,  wroth  with  their 
audacity,  destroyed  the  edifice  and  dispersed  the 
builders.  Cholula  was  one  of  the  important  cities 
of  the  Toltecs,  but  its  construction  is  attributed  to 
an  earlier  people. 

Another  monument  of  the  ancient  civilization  is 


? 


VALLEY  OF  TULA. 


1 6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Xochicalco,  seventy-five  miles  southwest  of  the  city 
of  Mexico.  In  the  middle  of  a plain  rises  a cone- 
shaped  height  from  three  to  four  hundred  feet 
high,  whose  base  has  an  oval  form  two  miles  in 
circumference.  Two  tunnels  piercing  the  side  of 
the  mound  open  towards  the  north  ; the  first  has 
been  explored  only  eighty-two  feet.  The  second 
penetrates  the  calcareous  hill  by  a large  gallery  nine 
feet  and  a half  high,  with  several  branches  in  differ- 
ent directions.  The  ground  is  paved.  The  walls 
are  supported  by  mason-work  cemented  and  covered 
with  red  ochre.  The  principal  gallery  leads  to  a hall 
eighty  feet  long,  whose  ceiling  is  kept  in  place  by 
the  aid  of  two  pilasters.  In  one  corner  of  this  hall 
is  a little  recess,  excavated  like  the  rest  out  of  the 
solid  rock,  with  an  ogival  dome  of  Gothic  aspect. 

So  much  for  the  interior.  Outside  are  five  suc- 
cessive terraces  of  mason-work  sustained  by  walls 
surmounted  by  parapets.  At  the  summit  stand 
upon  a broad  platform  the  ruins  of  the  temple  for 
which  the  mound  was  apparently  destined  ; it  is  a 
rectangular  building  constructed  of  blocks  of  por- 
phyritic  granite  placed  on  each  other  without  the  aid 
of  mortar,  with  such  skill  that  the  joinings  were 
scarcely  visible.  In  1755  the  temple  still  preserved 
five  stories  ; at  the  top  was  a stone,  which  might 
have  served  as  a seat,  covered  like  the  rest  of  the 
building  with  strange  ornaments  carved  in  the  stone. 

Works  evidently  for  defence  testify  to  the  con- 
stant fighting  which  must  have  been  waged  over 
Anahuac.  In  the  province  of  Vera  Cruz,  at  Huatusco, 
there  are  traces  of  fortifications  stretching  towards 


FI!  A DO  IVY  TRIBES. 


1 7 


the  north.  Ceutla  seems  to  have  been  one  of.  the 
chief  points  chosen  for  defence.  The  plain  is  cov- 
ered with  ruins.  A forest  conceals  and  at  the  same 
time  protects  several  pyramids  of  stone  bound  with 
mortar.  These  pyramids  are  the  most  striking  fea- 
ture of  this  ancient  architecture.  The  teocallis  or 
palaces  at  Palenque  and  Copan,  ruins  found  in 
Yucatan  and  Honduras,  are  erected  on  truncated 
pyramids  like  those  of  Anahuac.  They  are  all  of 
one  primitive  type,  although  differing  in  details  of 
material  and  form. 

These  ruins,  still  left  to  attest  the  power  of  the 
great  vanished  nations  who  erected  them,  are  rapidly 
disappearing.  The  Spanish  conquerors  were  amazed 
at  their  size  and  importance — so  much  so  that  in 
their  description  they  often  exaggerated  their  splen- 
dor. Some  of  them  Cortes  destroyed  ; whatever  he 
spared,  gradually  falls  away,  through  neglect,  theft, 
or  other  ravage  of  time.  Forests  of  tropical  growth 
have  hidden  the  wonders  of  Palenque  from  destruc- 
tion. Other  such  places  may  yet  exist  all  undiscov- 
ered ; and  it  is  probable  that  the  researches  of  sci- 
entific explorers  will  in  time  bring  to  light  much 
information  about  the  builders  of  these  monuments. 
Meanwhile  we  must  again  turn  to  conjecture,  and  in 
the  absence  of  facts  to  keep  it  within  bound,  we  may 
indulge  our  imagination,  and  play  with  legend. 

Far  away  from  some  distant  home,  early  in  the 
dim  traditional  annals  of  Anahuac,  men  came  to 
settle  upon  its  plains.  They  found  there  a race  of 
giants — strange,  fierce  men,  of  immense  strength, 
— whose  ancestors  perhaps  had  struggled  with  pre- 


is 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


historic  beasts,  of  which  the  bones  lie  buried  deep 
below  the  present  surface.  • This  race  of  giants  was 
wild  and  rude  ; they  lived  by  hunting,  and  devoured 
raw  the  flesh  of  the  game  they  secured  with  bows 
and  arrows  ; they  were  brave,  daring,  and  agile,  but 
were  given  over  to  the  vice  of  drunkenness. 

We  cannot  stop  to  be  very  much  interested  in  this 
rudimentary  people,  called  Quinames,  who  have  left 
us  scarcely  more  than  a name,  and  little  even  of  le- 
gend to  charm  us.  The  pyramid  of  Cholula  and  that 
of  Teotihuacan  are  ascribed  to  them,  rather  by  way 
of  pushing  back  these  monuments  to  an  ancient  pe- 
riod. Their  conception  and  execution  show  ambi- 
tion, perhaps  veneration,  as  well  as  determination 
and  perseverance. 

Whence  they  came,  therefore,  it  is  vain  to  specu- 
late: how  long  they  were  there,  what  manner  of 
men  they  were.  A wave  of  life  more  civilized  swept 
down  upon  them  from  the  north  and  exterminated 
the  whole  race,  so  that  we  have  nothing  more  to  tell 
about  them.  The  tribes  which  have  the  credit  of 
destroying  the  giants  bear  the  names  of  Xicalancas 
and  Ulmecas.  They  paused  a while  upon  the  pla- 
teau, and  passed  on  to  people  the  coasts  of  the  Gulf 
of  Mexico. 

Next  came  the  Mayas,  still  always  from  the  north. 
Although  they  left  some  traces  upon  Anahuac,  they 
too  moved  farther  on,  to  establish  in  Y ucatan  and  the 
territory  between  Chiapas  and  Central  America  their 
greatly  advanced  civilization.  Of  this  great  family 
the  many  different  branches  speak  dialects  varying 
from  the  mother  tongue,  but  allied  to  each  other. 


SHADOWY  TRIBES. 


19 


The  Otomis,  still  with  the  same  northern  origin, 
spread  themselves  very  early  over  the  territory  which 
is  now  occupied  by  the  states  of  San  Luis,  Potosi, 
Guanajuato,  and  Queretaro,  reaching  Michoacan,  and 
spreading  still  farther.  These  were  a rough  people 
who  lurked  among  the  mountains,  avoiding  the  life 
of  large  communities.  They  have  left  no  record  of 
progressive  civilization.  Their  descendants  are  still 
traced  in  the  regions  which  they  chiefly  occupied, 
by  peculiarities  of  dialect.  Mixtecas  and  Zapotecas 
are  names  of  other  peoples  who  came  to  occupy  Ana- 
huac,  but  the  Toltecs  are  the  first  of  these  ancient 
tribes  distinguished  for  the  advancement  of  their 
arts  and  civilization,  of  which  their  monuments  and 
the  results  of  excavation  give  abundant  proof. 

The  legends  of  those  tribes  who  came  to  Mexico 
over  the  broad  path  leading  down  from  the  north 
refer  to  an  ancient  home,  of  which  they  retained  a 
sad,  vague  longing,  as  the  Moor  still  dreams  of  the 
glories  of  Granada.  They  preserved  the  tradition  of 
their  long  migrations  in  their  hieroglyphics  and  pic- 
tured writings.  These  traditions  bear  a strong  re- 
semblance to  each  other,  and  the  dialects  of  the  suc- 
cessive races  which  appeared  in  Mexico  are  so  similar 
that  it  is  probable  they  all  belong  to  the  same  lan- 
guage, which  is  called  Nahuatl.  All  these  races  are 
generalized  as  the  Nahuas. 

One  of  the  traditions  relates  that  seven  families 
alone  were  saved  from  the  Deluge.  Their  descend- 
ants, after  long  and  weary  wanderings,  fixed  them- 
selves at  Huehue-Tlapallan  (the  Old,  Old,  Red  Rock), 
a fertile  country  and  agreeable  to  live  in,  near  a broad 


20 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


and  endless  river,  flowing  from  mountains  far  away 
to  an  ever  distant  sea.  On  the  shore  of  the  river 
were  broad  plains  where  cattle  grazed.  The  moun- 
tains, with  summits  reaching  to  the  heavens,  were 
full  of  game.  The  winters  were  long,  but  the  sum- 
mers mild  and  agreeable.  There  the  parents  of  the 
Nahuas  dwelt  long  and  happily,  but  at  last  enemies, 
whose  attacks  they  had  been  obliged  from  time  to 
time  to  resist,  overcame  them,  and  drove  them  from 
their  homes.  It  was  then  they  descended  towards 
the  south,  seeking  a land  which  should  remind  them 
of  their  favored  home.  Only  when  they  reached  the 
plateau  of  Auahuac,  near  the  great  lakes  which 
reminded  them  of  their  mighty  river,  could  they  rest. 

Such  legends  as  these,  and  the  forms  of  the  pyra- 
mids found  in  Mexico  and  Yucatan,  lead  naturally 
to  the  guess  that  these  races  were  the  descendants  of 
the  Mound  Builders  of  the  Mississippi  Valley,  Ohio, 
and  Missouri.  The  monuments  of  these  prehistoric 
men  are  not  unlike  the  teocallis  and  pyramids  of  the 
Nahuas.  The  “mounds”  are  artificial  hills  of  earth, 
constructed  with  mathematical  regularity,  round, 
oval,  or  square.  They  are  finished  at  the  top  by 
platforms,  destined,  apparently,  to  religious  rites. 
Like  those  in  Mexico,  the  Mounds,  in  their  form  and 
the  great  number  of  them,  bear  evidence  to  the  pro- 
longed existence  of  the  race  who  built  them,  to  long 
years  of  labor,  and  thousands  of  workmen  employed 
in  their  construction.  Excavation  has  brought  to 
light  implements  of  war  and  household  use,  which 
show  both  taste  and  skill,  and  these  objects  are 
much  alike  in  their  general  aspect,  whether  found  in 


SHADOWY  TRIBES. 


21 


the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  or  of  Mexico.  Such 
conjectures  are  full  of  attraction  ; but  they  have,  as 
yet,  no  solid  foundation.  As  for  the  Mound  Builders, 
their  name,  by  which  wc  now  designate  them,  is  but 
a modern  label.  Their  own  is  effaced  from  the 
memory  of  men.  Their  origin  is  equally  lost,  and 
the  time  of  their  existence,  the  date  of  their  monu- 
ments, are  vanished  in  a vague  past. 

To  associate,  then,  these  Mound  Builders  with 
the  early  wandering  tribes  who  descended  to  the 
plateau  of  Anahuac,  is  no  help,  at  present,  to  the 
student  of  Mexican  antiquity.  Yet  the  idea  is 
pleasing  to  the  imagination  ; and  it  is  even  reason  to 
hope  that  future  discoveries  in  either  region  may 
throw  light  upon  the  early  stay  of  the  other. 

Had  we  sure  knowledge  that  the  Mound  Builders 
and  the  Nahuas  were  of  the  same  race,  we  should 
still  have  to  inquire  whence  came  they  all  before 
they  settled  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  were  driven 
out  by  their  enemies,  and  migrated  to  the  Mexican 
plateau?  Such  speculations  are  the  pastime  of  the 
student  of  lost  races.  For  him  to  dream  of  the  pos- 
sible homes  of  a set  of  people  where  traces  are  but 
faintly  to  be  discerned,  is  as  fascinating  as  building 
airy  castles  in  Spain. 

The  theory  of  a submerged  continent  beneath  the 
Azores,  opposite  the  mouth  of  the  Mediterranean, 
which  might  be  the  island  described  by  Plato,  At- 
lantis, the  region  where  man  first  emerged  from  a 
condition  like  that  of  beasts  to  a constantly  advan- 
cing state  of  civilization,  plays  a part  in  the  fancies  of 
those  who  are  wondering  about  the  origin  of  the 
Nahuatl  tribes  of  Anahuac. 


22 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  distant  home  of  which  they  all  preserved  the 
legend  under  one  name  or  another,  one  of  which  was 
Aztlan,  the  musical  title  given  it  by  the  Mexicans, 
was,  perhaps,  Atlantis,  the  broad  and  mighty  realm 
where  mankind  in  its  childhood  lived  for  generations 
in  tranquillity  and  happiness.  Huehue-TIapallan, 
Aztlan,  Atlantis,  these  names  represent  the  universal 
tradition  of  this  early  home.  The  world  before  the 
Deluge,  the  Garden  of  Eden,  the  Garden  of  the 
Hesperides,  the  Elysian  Fields,  Olympus,  Asgard,— 
all  these  are  but  different  terms  to  express  the  vague 
vision  in  men’s  minds  of  a happy  past.  If  the 
theory  of  Atlantis  could  be  true,  these  were  not 
mere  visions  but  traditions  preserving  a consistent 
recollection  of  real  historical  events,  of  a populous 
and  mighty  cradle  of  nations  which  peopled  the 
shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  the  Mississippi,  the 
Amazon,  and  the  Pacific  coasts  of  South  America, 
as  well  as  the  older  world. 

Atlantis,  according  to  the  story,  perished  in  a ter- 
rible convulsion  of  nature,  in  which  the  whole  island 
sank  into  the  ocean  with  nearly  all  its  inhabitants. 
Only  a few  persons  escaped  in  ships  and  rafts  to 
lands  east  and  west  of  the  catastrophe.  Each  of 
these  separate  survivors  became,  in  the  legend  of 
his  descendants,  the  solitary  Noah  or  Coxcox  of  a 
tradition  representing  the  destruction  of  an  entire 
world.  The  Nahuatl  legend  helps  out  the  theory  of 
Atlantis  to  willing  minds.  The  Noah  of  the  Mexi- 
can tribes  was  Coxcox,  who,  with  his  wife  Xochi- 
quetzal,  alone  escaped  the  deluge.  They  took  ref- 
uge in  the  hollow  trunk  of  a cypress  ( ahuchuete ), 


SHADOWY  TRIBES. 


which  floated  upon  the  water,  and  stopped  at  last 
on  top  of  a mountain  of  Culhuacan.  They  had 
many  children,  but  all  of  them  were  dumb.  The 
great  spirit  took  pity  on  them,  and  sent  a dove,  who 
hastened  to  teach  them  to  speak.  Fifteen  of  the 
children  succeeded  in  grasping  the  power  of  speech, 
and  from  these  the  Toltecs  and  Aztecs  are  descended. 

Another  account  describes  a deluge  in  which  men 
perished  and  were  changed  to  fish  ; the  earth  disap- 
peared, and  the  highest  mountain  tops  were  covered 
with  water.  But  before  this  happened,  one  of  the 
Nahua  gods,  called  Tezcatlipoca,  spoke  to  a man 
named  Nata  and  his  wife  Nana,  saying  : “ Do  not  busy 
yourselves  any  longer  making  pulque , but  hollow  out 
for  yourselves  a large  boat  of  an  ahuehuete  tree,  and 
make  your  home  in  it  when  you  see  the  waters  rising 
to  the  sky.”  The  Mexican  historian,  Ixtlilxochitl, 
has  conceived  that  after  the  dispersion  of  the  human 
race,  which  succeeded  the  attempt  to  build  the 
Tower  of  Babel,  seven  Toltecs  reached  America,  and 
became  the  parents  of  that  race.  Thus  having  learned 
of  the  Tower  of  Babel  from  his  Catholic  instructors, 
Ixtlilxochitl  skilfully  pieces  the  Hebrew  legend  upon 
the  Toltec  fabric. 

The  friends  of  the  Atlantis  theory  in  like  manner 
seize  upon  the  universal  fable  of  the  deluge  to  weave 
into  their  tissue.  It  remains  for  every  reader  to 
decide  for  himself  whether  to  regard  these  theories 
as  the  airy  fabric  of  a vision,  or  made  up  out  of  the 
whole  cloth. 


III. 


TOLTECS. 


A SOMEWHAT  connected  chain  of  events  begins 
with  the  traditions  of  the  Toltecs  upon  the  plateau 
of  Anahuac.  Their  farthest  ancestors,  they  sup- 
posed, founded  the  city  of  Huehue-Tlapallan  far  to 
the  north,  perhaps  on  the  shores  of  the  Colorado 
River.  There  they  lived  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  nobody  knows  how 
long,  until  great  civil  wars  broke  out  in 
their  nation,  and  a part,  deserting  their 
ancient  homes,  wandered  down  towards 
the  south.  This  was  in  the  year  544  of 
our  era. 

Guided  by  their  great  chief  Huemat- 
zin,  the  Toltecs  wandered  over  the 
sandy  plains  in  the  north  of  Mexico  till 
they  came  to  the  land  “ near  the  water,” 
fertile  and  promising,  and  finally  settled 
in  a place  they  called  Tollanzinco.  Not 
far  off,  in  the  course  of  time,  they  found- 
ed their  great  city  of  Tollan,  now  Tula, 
which  became  the  centre  of  the  Toltec 

COLUMN  FROM  natlOU. 

tula.  These  people  built  so  well  and  so 


24 


RUINS  FOUND  AT  TULA. 


26 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


much  that  the  name  became  the  word  to  mean 
builders.  The  few  ruins  left  of  their  capital  attest 
their  skill.  They  felt  themselves  to  be  a superior 
race  to  that  they  found  in  their  new  home.  The 
Toltecs  were  tall,  robust,  and  well-formed,  of  light- 
sallow  complexion,  with  but  little  hair  on  their  face. 
They  were  wonderful  for  running,  and  could  run  at 
the  greatest  speed  for  hours.  Their  manners  were 
gentle  and  refined,  as  well  as  their  tastes.  Yet  they 
were  cruel  in  war  as  well  as  brave. 

Arrived  in  their  new  country,  they  set  themselves 
to  work  to  till  the  ground  and  plant  it  with  all  the 
crops  the  favorite  climate  permits.  They  had  Indian 
corn,  chile,  frijoles,  the  beans  so  beloved  to  this  day 
by  the  Mexicans,  and  other  vegetables  ; these  they 
cultivated  with  better  processes  than  the  former  in- 
habitants had  known.  Nevertheless,  and  although 
the  proud  Toltecas  must  have  looked  down  on  the 
native  tribes,  they  took  a step  dictated  by  a wise 
diplomacy,  in  order  to  preserve  harmony  and  good- 
fellowship  with  their  neighbors.  They  invited  the 
ruler  of  the  Chichemecs,  a tribe  to  the  north  of  them, 
to  provide  them  a chief  from  his  family,  and,  much 
flattered,  he  sent  them  his  second  son. 

Some  Toltec  Richelieu  must  have  planned  this 
scheme,  with  the  intention  of  keeping  the  real  power 
in  his  own  hands. 

Precious-stone-who-shines  (Chalchiuhtlatonac),well 
pleased  to  sparkle  in  a new  setting,  came  to  them 
from  the  powerful  neighboring  tribe  of  the  Chiche- 
mecs, and  governed  peacefully  for  the  space  of  fifty- 
two  years,  while  the  Toltecs  planted  and  reaped,  and 
pursued  their  gentle  way. 


TOL  TECS. 


2; 


They  spoke  the  tongue  Nahuatl,  giving  to  it  their 
own  dialect.  They  wrote,  and  studied  the  stars,  by 
which  they  regulated  their  division  of  time.  It  is 
said  they  were  the  first  in  all  Anahuac  who  knew 
geography.  How  much  they  knew  we  never  shall 
know,  still  less  how  little  those  before  them  knew. 
They  knew  the  properties  of  plants,  how  to  heal  the 
sick  by  using  them,  how  to  keep  well.  They  were 
excellent  carpenters;  they  worked  precious  stones 
with  skill ; they  wove  their  garments  out  of  strong 
or  delicate  fabrics  in  many  colors  and  designs,  de- 
manding and  creating  for  themselves  not  only  the 
necessities  of  life,  but  the  adornments  of  art  and 
taste.  In  fact,  the  Toltecs  were  a worthy  people, 
averse  to  war,  allied  to  virtue,  to  cleanliness,  courtesy, 
and  good  manners.  They  detested  falsehood  and 
treachery,  and  held  their  gods  in  reverence. 

The  early  faith  of  the  Toltecs  was  the  adoration 
of  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  Especially  the  power 
( tecuhtli ) which  warmed  the  earth  and  made  it  fruit- 
ful, giving  them  thus  their  chief  blessings,  they  wor- 
shipped under  the  name  Tonacatecuhtli,  to  whom 
they  offered  flowers,  fruits,  and  sacrifices  of  small 
animals.  Polytheism,  and  the  sacrifice  of  human  be- 
ings, which  was  later  engrafted  on  this  simple  belief 
by  other  tribes,  had  no  part  in  the  early  religion  of 
the  Toltecs. 

At  the  end  of  the  tenth  century,  when  in  England 
the  Danes  were  beginning  to  trouble  the  Anglo-Sax- 
ons, and  Ethelreds  and  Edreds  were  retreating  before 
Canutes  and  Hardicanutes ; when  across  the  channel 
Hugh  Capet  had  put  an  end  to  the  feeble  dynasties 
of  the  Carlovingian  kings,  and  was  taking  for  him- 


28 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


self  the  crown  of  France,  began  to  rule  Tecpancalt- 
zin,  the  eighth  of  the  Toltec  chiefs.  We  cannot 
tell  what  manner  of  court  he  held,  whether  rude  or 
splendid.  His  territory  stretched  over  large  dis- 
tances, and  counted  many  flourishing  cities,  among 
them  Teotihuacan,  Cholollan,  Cuernavaca,  and 
Toluca. 

Cuernavaca,  “ where  the  eagle  stops,”  at  an 
elevation  of  nearly  five  thousand  feet  above  the 
sea,  is  built  upon  a headland  projecting  into  a 
valley  between  two  sharp  barrancas.  The  region  is 
richly  watered,  and  produces  now,  as  in  the  time  of 
the  Toltecs,  abundant  crops.  Fruits  also  abound 
there.  The  winter  climate  is  delightful.  The  place 
was  captured  by  Cortes  before  he  laid  siege  to  the  city 
of  Mexico.  It  became  his  favorite  resort,  and  the 
valley  was  included  in  the  royal  reward  he  received 
for  his  Mexican  conquests.  It  was  here  that  he  be- 
gan in  Mexico  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-cane,  and 
here  the  Conquistador  passed  the  last  years  of  his 
life.  Traces  of  the  ancient  civilization  are  still  to  be 
seen.  Behind  a house  in  the  town  called  the  Casa 
de  Cortes  is  a solitary  rock  upon  which  are  prehis- 
toric carvings  ; on  the  crest  of  a little  hill  near  by  is 
a lizard  about  eight  feet  long  carved  in  stone.  Eigh- 
teen miles  from  Cuernavaca  are  the  ruins  of  Xochi- 
calco,  before  mentioned. 

Toluca  is  forty-five  miles  west  of  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico, at  an  elevation  of  8,600  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  The  scenery  all  the  way  from  Mexico  is  of 
the  finest  description.  The  two  volcanoes  which  dom- 
inate the  valley,  covered  with  snow,  are  behind,  and 


TOL  TECS. 


2y 


before  us  is  the  equally  beautiful  Nevada  de  Toluca, 
nearly  as  high  as  they.  It  is  an  extinct  volcano,  the 
crater  of  which  is  now  a lake  with  a whirlpool  in  the 
middle  of  it.  Here  the  Toltecs  had  a palace  of 
stone  decorated  with  hieroglyphics.  Such  was  the 
broad  territory  over  which  ruled  Tecpancaltzin.  The 
lakes  in  the  valley,  much  larger  than  they  are  now, 
were  his,  and  all  the 'fertile  valleys  around  them, 
which  his  people  knew  well  how  to  cultivate.  His 
swift  runners  brought  him  from  sunny  Cuernavaca 
fruits  of  the  tropics.  Snow  from  the  Nevadas,  even 
in  the  hot  days  of  summer,  was  at  his  disposition. 
His  warriors  kept  his  neighbors  in  proper  awe,  and 
he  lived  at  peace  with  all  men. 

It  was  then,  according  to  some  reckonings,  that 
the  mysterious  Quetzalcoatl  appeared  in  Tollan.  He 
must  have  been  a real  personage,  for  the  tale  is  deeply 
rooted  in  the  traditions  of  the  country,  of  the  white 
man  with  a long  beard  who  came  from  the  East,  and 
disappeared  as  mysteriously  as  he  had  come,  over  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  The  Toltecs  were  dark,  with  scanty 
beards  and  short  ; this  stranger  was  absolutely  unlike 
them.  He  remained  with  them  twenty  years,  teach- 
ing them  the  arts  of  a better  civilization.  Recent 
study  has  busied  itself  with  extinguishing  the  beams 
which  surround  the  bright  image  of  this  wonderful  be- 
ing. Before  the  traditions  of  his  greatness  are  thus 
swept  away,  we  will  preserve  them  fora  little  longer. 

Quetzalcoatl  (The  Shining  Snake)  is  sometimes  de- 
scribed as  one  of  the  four  principal  gods  who  shared 
with  the  terrible  Huitzilopochtli  the  work  of  the  first 
creation.  Elsewhere  he  is  represented  as  a man  who 


30 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


came  to  live  among  the  Toltecs,  and  who  disap- 
peared as  mysteriously  as  he  came.  Between  the 
two  accounts  of  him,  then,  is  every  shade  of  matter- 
of-fact  and  miraculous  in  the  tales  that  are  preserved 
of  him.  One,  shown  in  an  ancient  painted  writing, 
now  lost,  depicted  him  a youth,  fasting  seven  years 
alone  among  the  hills,  and  drawing  his  blood,  be- 
cause the  gods  made  of  him  a’great  warrior,  showed 
how  he  became  chief  of  Tula,  selected  by  the  inhab- 
itants on  account  of  his  bravery,  and  how  he  built 
them  a great  temple.  “ While  he  was  doing  this, 
Tezcatlipoca  came  to  him,  and  said  that  towards 
Honduras,  in  a place  called  Tlapalla,  he  was  to  es- 
tablish his  home,  and  that  he  must  leave  Tula  and 
go  thither  to  live  and  die,  and  there  he  should  be  held 
to  be  a god.  To  this  he  replied  that  the  heavens  and 
the  stars  had  told  him  to  go  within  four  years.  So, 
after  four  years  were  past,  he  left,  taking  along  with 
him  all  the  able-bodied  men  of  Tula.  Some  of  these 
he  left  in  the  City  of  Cholula,  and  from  these  the  in- 
habitants are  descended.  Reaching  Tlapalla,  he  fell 
sick  the  same  day,  and  died  the  following  one. 
Tula  remained  waste  and  without  a chief  nine  years.” 

A legend  adds  that  “ his  ashes  were  carried  to 
heaven  by  handsome  birds;  the  heart  followed,  and 
became  the  morning  star.” 

Baudelier  concludes  him  to  have  been  a prominent 
gifted  Indian  leader,  perhaps  of  Toltec  origin,  per- 
haps Olmec.  He  suggests  that  his  career  began  in 
the  present  state  of  Hidalgo,  in  which  are  the  ruins 
of  ancient  Tula,  and  that  his  first  stay  was  there,  af- 
ter which  he  left  that  people  and  moved  farther 


QUETZALCOATL. 


32 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


south,  and  settled  at  Cholula ; perhaps  founding 
there  the  first  settlement,  perhaps  elevating  the  tone 
of  the  village  Indians  already  settled  there.  The 
beneficial  effects  of  the  coming  of  Quetzalcoatl 
were  the  introduction,  or  improvement,  of  the  arts 
of  pottery,  weaving,  stonework,  and  feather-work; 
the  organization  of  government  of  a higher  type,  and 
the  introduction  of  a mode  of  worship  free  from  hu- 
man sacrifice.  Perhaps  his  aversion  to  this  bloody 
custom  made  him  withdraw  to  the  mythical  Tlapal- 
la,  a place  on  no  map  and  only  known  to  tradition, 
which  puts  it  on  the  sea-coast,  and  generally  on  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico. 

The  mystery  of  his  departure  and  death  led  to  his 
deification,  and  the  worship  of  his  person  became  the 
leading  feature  of  the  religion  at  Cholula. 

It  is  likely  that  The  Shining  Serpent  developed,  if 
he  did  not  originate,  many  of  the  gentle  and  grace- 
ful forms  of  worship,  which  still  have  a great  part  of 
the  religion  of  the  simple  Indians  of  Mexico,  of  sac- 
rificing the  fruits  and  flowers  of  each  season  to  its 
appropriate  divinity  and  festival. 

In  Holy  Week,  now,  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  the 
shores  of  the  canal  leading  to  the  town  are  decorated 
with  flowers.  Native  boats  float  over  the  water 
heaped  with  bright  blossoms,  and  the  dark  heads  of 
the  Indian  girls  are  crowned  with  wreaths  of  pop- 
pies. They  bring  these  blossoms  in  masses  to  dec- 
orate the  altars  of  Nuestra  Sefiora  in  the  churches. 
Her  image  is  the  symbol  of  their  divinity  transferred 
from  the  earlier  idols  their  remote  ancestors  wor- 
shipped. 


TO  L TECS. 


33 


In  the  National  Museum  in  Mexico  is  an  image  in 
the  form  of  a coiled  serpent  in  pyramidal  form — its 
body  covered  with  feathers — carved  of  basaltic  por- 
phyry. This  model,  which  appears  in  many  of  the 
old  monuments,  is  regarded  as  the  symbol  of  the 
mysterious  Shining  Serpent. 

Whatever  were  his  serious  claims  to  distinction,  his 
worshippers  invested  him  with  wonderful  attributes. 
His  sojourn  in  their  land  marked  its  most  prosper- 
ous period.  In  his  time  the  seasons  were  the  fairest, 
the  earth  the  most  productive.  Flowers  blossomed, 
fruits  ripened  without  the  toil  of  the  gardener.  The 
cotton  in  its  pod  turned  blue,  red,  or  yellow  without 
the  trouble  of  the  dyer,  so  that  the  fabrics  lightly 
woven  and  without  fatigue  took  on  rich  and  har- 
monious tints.  The  air  was  continually  filled  with 
perfumes  and  the  songs  of  sweet  birds.  Every  man 
loved  his  neighbor,  and  all  dwelt  in  peace  and  har- 
mony together.  These  were  the  halcyon  days  of 
Anahuac.  For  twenty  years  the  Toltecs  knew  no 
disaster,  but  flourished  and  spread  under  the  influ- 
ence of  their  strange  protector.  And  then,  one  day 
the  strange  god  disappeared  from  among  them,  de- 
scending to  the  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  where 
he  bade  farewell  to  the  crowd  that  had  followed  him, 
promising,  as  he  did  so,  that  in  the  fulness  of  time 
his  descendants,  white  men  like  himself,  with  full 
beards,  should  return  and  instruct  them.  Then  he 
stepped  into  a magic  bark  made  of  the  skins  of 
serpents,  and  sailed  away  over  an  ocean  unknown 
to  these  simple  men  towards  the  fabled  land  of 
Tlapalla. 


34 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


So  Lohengrin  vanished  to  the  upper  air,  and  as 
with  those  he  left  behind,  all  their  good  luck  was 
over  for  the  Toltecs. 

They  did  their  best  to  preserve  the  memory  of 
Quetzalcoatl,  On  the  top  of  the  pyramid  of  Cho- 
lula,  which  perhaps  their  fathers  found  standing 
when  they  reached  the  haven  of  their  pilgrimage, 
the  Toltecs  raised  an  image  of  their  deity,  with  fea- 
tures of  ebony,  although  he  was  white;  with  a mitre 
on  its  head  waving  with  plumes  of  fire  ; with  a re- 
splendent collar  of  gold  around  its  neck,  turquoise 
ear-rings,  a sceptre  all  jewelled  in  one  hand,  and  in 
the  other  a strange  shield.  Such  is  the  description 
of  the  Conquistadores,  who  saw  it ; and  as  they  de- 
stroyed it,  and  tumbled  it  down  from  its  lofty  site, 
they  should  know. 

Evil  days  were  coming  to  the  Toltecs. 

The  traveller  in  Mexico  to-day  sees  growing  all 
along  the  sides  of  the  railway  huge  stiff  bunches 
of  the  Agave  Anierica7ia.  The  leaves  are  long  and 
pointed  with  prickles  along  the  edge,  growing  in  a 
tuft  like  huge  artichokes.  Their  blue,  rather  than 
green,  surface  has  a whitish  bloom  over  it,  which 
makes  the  plants  look  as  if  they  had  been  made  of 
tin  and  painted  some  time  ago.  Sometimes  the 
leaves  are  very  large,  and  the  bunches  enormous. 
When  the  time  comes  a stem  shoots  up  from  the 
heart  of  the  tuft  to  a great  height,  putting  out 
branches  at  the  top,  which  blossom  in  a cluster  of 
yellowish  flowers.  These  branches  are  symmetrical, 
and  the  effect  is  like  a lofty  branched  candlestick, 
sometimes  forty  feet  high.  The  blossoms  fade ; the 


TOL  TECS. 


33 


dying  stalk,  like  the  framework  of  last  year’s  fire- 
works, remains  a long  time  ; and  when  these  plants, 
as  they  often  are,  are  set  along  the  railways,  the  line 
of  tall  bare  stems  looks  not  unlike  a row  of  telegraph 
poles.  The  blue  tin  leaves  are  ever  green,  and  last 
through  many  a year. 

This  agave,  or  American  aloe,  is  the  century-plant, 
so  called  from  the  popular  error  that  it  blossoms 
only  once  in  a hundred  years.  It  is  only  true  so  far  that 
each  plant  blossoms  only  once  and  then  dies.  In 
tropical  regions  this  process  proceeds  rapidly;  in 
colder  countries,  where  it  is  raised  artificially,  it 
takes  a long  time  to  complete  its  perfect  growth. 

The  agave  is  native  in  the  whole  region  between 
the  tropics  of  America,  where  it  flourishes  from  the 
sandy  soil  by  the  sea  to  table-lands  and  mountain 
altitudes.  From  its  natural  region  it  has  been  trans- 
planted everywhere,  and  even  in  cold  climates  it  is 
cultivated  as  a green-house  plant.  In  Spain,  where 
it  was  early  transplanted,  among  the  other  novelties 
which  the  Conquistadores  introduced  from  their  new 
land,  it  is  absolutely  at  home.  Its  lofty  candelabra 
are  an  ornament  to  Andalusian  roadsides,  and  a bar- 
rier for  wandering  cattle.  In  Spain  it  is  called  pita , 
which  must  be  a different  variety,  if  not  a totally  dis- 
tinct genus  from  the  common  plant  of  Mexico,  for 
the  use  of  its  juices  for  a beverage  is  totally  unknown 
in  the  old  country,  and  this  certainly  would  have 
been  discovered  there  if  such  properties  had  not 
been  wanting  in  the  Spanish  plant. 

For  the  agave  of  the  Mexicans  is  their  maguey , 
from  which  they  extract  pulque,  the  national  bever- 


36 


THE  STORY  Of  MEXICO. 


age.  The  agave  has  served  them  for  many  other 
purposes,  from  the  earliest  times.  Its  bruised 
leaves,  properly  dressed  and  polished,  make  a sort  of 
paper;  its  leaves  furnish  a strong  protecting  thatch 
for  the  roofs  of  houses  ; thread  can  be  drawn  from  its 
long  fibrous  texture  ; the  thorns  furnish  a fair  sub- 
stitute for  the  pin  and  needle;  and  the  root,  well 
prepared,  is  nutritious  and  palatable  as  food. 

Of  all  these  properties  of  the  agave  the  Toltecs 
were  cognizant.  If  their  wise  friend,  The  Shining 
Serpent,  knew  of  other  attributes  it  had,  he  kept  si- 
lent. It  was  reserved  for  a woman  to  reveal  to  her 
race  the  fatal  gift  which  lay  hidden  in  the  blue-green 
stubborn  leaves  of  the  prickly  plant. 

Xochitl  was  the  name  of  the  woman  who  showed 
to  the  king,  Tecpancaltzin,  how  to  extract  from  the 
heart  of  the  maguey  a sweet  honey  to  drink,  which, 
from  that  time  to  this,  has  been  the  delight  and  the 
curse  of  Mexicans.  The  plains  of  Apan  are  cele- 
brated for  the  production  of  the  finest  pulque,  in  it- 
self a thoroughly  wholesome  drink,  suited  to  the 
climate  of  high  regions,  and  beneficial  when  taken 
in  moderation.  From  the  root  of  the  maguey,  how- 
ever, strong  distilled  liquors  can  be  made,  called 
mezcal  and  tequila  and  of  these  it  is  best  not  to 
drink  to  much. 

The  new  beverage  found  favor  with  the  chief  of 
the  Toltec  tribe,  and  spread  its  cheerful  influence 
over  his  people.  He  married  Xochitl,  the  woman 
who  had  offered  him  honey  extracted  from  maguey. 

The  result  of  this  discovery,  and  the  consequence 
of  the  marriage,  were  ruin  and  disoersion  for  the 
proud  race  of  the  Toltecs,  Meconetzin,  (Son  of 


TO L TECS. 


37 


Maguey)  ruled  at  first  with  prudence  and  practical 
wisdom,  but  his  habits  deteriorated  little  by  little  ; 
he  became  vicious,  and  revealed  himself  to  be  an  in- 
supportable tyrant.  The  honey  in  the  maguey  had 
begun  to  ferment. 

The  Toltecs  thenceforth  deteriorated  in  the  most 
disastrous  manner.  Famines  and  pests  fell  upon 
the  land,  and  invasions  of  strange  peoples.  The 
population  was  thinned,  harried,  scattered.  Its  last 
chieftain  was  Topiltzin-Meconetzin  (Son  of  Maguey), 
who,  with  his  wife,  Xochitl,  was  slain  in  a sanguinary 
battle  against  overpowering  enemies.  And  this  was 
the  end  of  the  Toltecs.  This  may  have  been  in  the 
year  i 1 1 6 of  our  era,  after  a duration  of  about  five 
hundred  and  fifty  years. 

Some  historians  consider  that  the  Toltecs  were 
not  a great  race,  but  simply  a tribe  of  sedentary 
Indians,  more  advanced  than  their  neighbors,  whose 
traditions  have  become  with  time  exaggerated  into 
the  tale  of  a great  and  powerful  nation.  How  this 
may  be,  the  tourist  at  Tula  may  judge,  according  to 
his  disposition,  romantic  or  prosaic,  by  the  import- 
ance of  the  ruins  left  by  the  vanished  race. 

The  excellent  compcndios  of  history  written  by 
Payne  and  Zarate  for  the  use  of  schools  in  Mexico 
still  give  the  dynasties  of  the  kings  of  Tula,  as  well 
as  of  the  other  early  tribes,  as  if  they  were  sovereigns 
of  a well-established  monarchy,  accompanied  by  a list 
of  the  royal  succession.  According  to  this,  the  king- 
dom of  the  Toltecs  lasted  from  720  A.D.,  the  date  fixed 
for  the  end  of  their  wanderings  from  Huehue-Tlapal- 
lan  to  Tollan,  until  1 1 16  A.U.,  when  their  destruction 
was  accomplished  and  their  people  dispersed. 


IV. 

CHICHIMEC 

ACCORDING  to  the  old  version  of  Anahuac  story, 
the  proud,  brilliant  dynasty  of  the  Toltecs  shone 
like  a jewel  upon  the  background  of  the  savage 
tribes  surrounding  it,  who  remained  during  the  pe- 
riod it  flourished  in  the  same  condition  as  when  the 
Toltecs  came.  It  was  from  one  of  these  less  culti- 
vated races  that  the  Toltecs  took  their  first  chief, 
Chalchiuhtlatonac,  son  of  the  so-called  Emperor  of 
the  Chichimecs,  to  whose  account  is  attributed  a 
line  of  fourteen  monarchs,  and  a duration  of  over 
two  hundred  years,  but  all  this  is  very  uncertain 
and  vague  ; on  the  other  hand,  Baudelier  is  of  opin- 
ion that  there  was  no  Chichimecan  period  in  Mexico. 
The  word  Chichimecatl  signifies  indiscriminately  a 
savage,  a good  hunter,  or  a brave  warrior.  The  far-off 
region  from  which  they  immigrated  like  the  other 
tribes  upon  Anahuac,  called  by  them  Amaquemecan, 
like  the  Huehue-Tlapallan  of  the  Toltecs,  was  a 
fertile  country  of  their  dreams,  pleasant  to  work  in, 
and  free  from  earthly  disasters. 

Probably  they  came  from  the  same  region  as  the 
Toltecs;  their  language  is  classed  with  the  Nahuatl, 
though  their  dialect  was  their  own.  They  called 

38 


CHICHIMECS. 


39 


themselves  the  Eagles.  They  not  only  had  no  cul- 
ture, but  scorned  it,  preferring  the  advantages  of  bar- 
barism. Their  occupation  was  hunting,  which  was 
fully  furnished  them  by  the  game  in  the  mountain 
regions,  which  they  found  unclaimed,  and  took 
possession  of.  They  lived  upon  the  flesh  of  wolves 
and  pumas, — their  smaller  dishes  were  weasels,  moles, 
and  mice,  without  objecting  to  lizards,  snakes,  grass- 
hoppers, and  earthworms. 

The  Chichimecs  seem  to  have  wandered  about 
completely  naked,  with  skins  of  beasts  to  protect 
them  from  the  occasional  cold  of  their  mild  climate. 
Their  houses  were,  for  the  most  part,  caves  or  cracks 
in  the  rocks,  but  they  knew  how  to  build  rude  huts, 
roofed  with  palm  leaves.  Gourds  were  their  drink- 
ing vessels,  and  they  could  make  a rude  sort  of  pot- 
tery, out  of  which  they  fashioned  jugs,  and  also  little 
balls  used  for  bullets  in  war,  which  could  make  dan- 
gerous wounds.  They  were  always  at  war  with  their 
neighbors,  and  protected  their  own  territory  from  in- 
cursions with  their  bows  and  arrows,  and  clubs, 
which  they  handled  with  great  vigor. 

Each  warrior  of  the  Chichimecs  wore  a bone  at 
his  waist,  which  carried  a mark  for  every  enemy  he 
had  killed.  Competition  was  sure  to  keep  these 
bones  well  marked,  as  it  was  a distinction  to  bear  the 
record  of  the  most  victims.  Their  battles  were 
bloodthirsty.  Prisoners  were  scalped  upon  the  field 
of  battle,  and  their  heads  carried  in  triumph  back  to 
camp,  while  dances  of  victory  were  performed.  They 
had  the  reputation  of  eating  the  flesh  and  drinking 
the  blood  of  their  victims. 


40 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  several  tribes  of  the  Chichimecs  acknowl- 
edged no  authority,  other  than  obedience  to  the  war- 
rior they  themselves  selected  to  lead  them  to  battle. 
Their  wives  were  their  slaves;  and  though  they  lim- 
ited themselves  to  one  wife  at  a time,  they  reserved 
to  themselves  the  liberty  of  changing  one  for  another 
at  any  moment.  The  women  prepared  the  food,  cut 
down  trees,  brought  wood  and  water,  and  made  the 
pottery — bullets  as  well  as  pots  and  pans.  The  Chi- 
chimecs feared  and  worshipped  the  sun  as  a supreme 
deity,  and  the  spirit  of  the  thunder  and  lightning, 
whom  they  rudely  depicted  with  bolts  in  his  hands, 
like  Jupiter,  and  called  Nixcoatl,  (the  Serpent  of  the 
Clouds). 

These  were  the  people  who  lived  side  by  side  with 
the  Toltecs,  their  better-behaved  neighbors,  despised 
as  inferiors,  and  regarded  with  disgust  for  their 
coarseness  and  horror  for  their  bloody  practices.  By 
these,  the  Toltecs  were  conquered  and  destroyed. 

Xolotl,  the  leader  of  the  Chichimecs,  to  use  the 
greatly  exaggerated  reports  gathered  from  historic 
paintings,  which  depicted  these  things,  came  to  in- 
vade the  realm  of  the  Toltecs  with  a million  warriors 
under  six  great  chiefs,  and  twenty  thousand  or  so 
of  inferior  officers.  He  had  under  his  command 
more  than  three  million  men  and  women,  not  count- 
ing the  children  who  came  along  with  their  mothers. 
The  Toltecs  were  much  deteriorated  since  their 
proud  days.  Allies  whom  they  had  oppressed  had 
deserted  them ; a religious  sect  which  differed  from 
the  prevailing  belief  had  sought  elsewhere  a place  of 
independent  worship  ; the  sovereign  and  his  favorites 


CHICHIMECS. 


41 


were  delivered  over  to  dissipation.  But  even  the 
royal  family  gave  proof  of  energy  and  resolution 
when  the  hour  of  danger  came. 

An  old  chief,  named  Ayaxitl,  called  the  country  to 
arms,  inspiring  them  with  tales  of  the  deeds  of  their 
ancestors.  Old  men  and  young  boys  took  up  arms; 
and  old  Xochitl  herself,  the  mother  of  the  inefficient 
king,  led  forth  to  battle  a legion  of  Amazons,  and 
was  slain  at  their  front.  But  all  this  show  of  bravery 
came  too  late.  The  Toltecs  were  entirely  defeated 
after  a prolonged  conflict,  which  was  renewed  for 
several  days.  Tollan  was  taken,  the  whole  country 
surrendered,  and  its  ruling  race  entirely  exterminated. 

The  Toltecs  were  no  more,  and  the  Chichimecs 
ruled  in  their  stead.  But  these  people,  recovering 
from  their  barbarism  in  a measure,  took  on  the  ad- 
vanced customs  of  their  conquered  enemies,  entered 
into  their  palaces,  and  enjoyed  the  fruits  of  their 
civilization. 

Xolotl  took  the  title  of  Chichimecatl  Tecuhtli,  the 
great  chief  of  the  Chichimecs;  and  his  descendants 
added  to  this  the  name  Huactlatohani  (Lord  of 
the  Whole  World).  The  territory  claimed  for  him 
included  a large  part  of  the  present  Mexico,  the 
states  Morelos  and  Puebla,  a portion  of  Vera  Cruz, 
the  greater  part  of  Hidalgo,  the  whole  of  Tlaxcalla, 
and  the  valley  of  Mexico.  He  strengthened  his 
power  by  marrying  his  son  to  a daughter  of  the  late 
Toltec  sovereign,  saved  from  the  destruction  of  the 
race,  and  altogether  showed  wisdom  and  judgment 
not  to  be  expected  from  the  antecedents  of  his 
people.  Such  conduct  inclines  students  of  this  re- 


42 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


mote  period  to  think  that  these  Chichimecs  were 
not  the  barbarous  tribe  who  lived  in  caves  and 
ate  lizards,  but  a later  arrival  from  the  mysterious 
north. 

During  the  reign  of  Xolotl  new  tribes  came  wan- 
dering down  from  these  remote  regions.  These 
successive  waves  of  emigration  give  the  idea  of  a 
constantly  renewed  struggle  for  supremacy  far  off  in 
the  unknown  Amaquemecan,  resulting  in  the  migra- 
tion of  the  conquered  side.  Xolotl  received  these 
new  arrivals  with  benign  hospitality,  gave  them 
lands  to  plant,  and  encouraged  them  to  settle  in  his 
realm.  Among  these  were  the  Aculhuas  and  Te- 
panecs,  who  founded  the  kingdoms,  afterwards 
important,  of  Atzcapotzalco  and  Tlacopan. 

Xolotl  had  the  credit  of  reigning  from  1 120  to  1232, 
when  he  died.  This  would  make  him  at  least  one 
hundred  and  twenty  years  old  at  his  death.  And 
some  people  from  this  imagine  that  there  were  sev- 
eral Xolotls  that  succeeded  one  another.  Let  us 
believe  that  he  lived  to  this  great  age.  The  name 
means  “ Eye  of  great  vigilance.” 

For  three  generations  his  immediate  successors 
ruled  the  kingdom  with  firmness  and  judgment,  com- 
pelling their  people  to  cultivate  the  land,  thus  pro- 
tecting agriculture,  which  was  their  chief  source  of 
wealth,  and  building  towns  to  put  an  end  to  wander- 
ing habits  inherited  from  the  men  who  lived  in  caves 
on  the  mountain  side. 

Quinatzin,  in  the  beginning  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  established  the  capital  of  the  kingdom  of 
the  Chichimecs  in  Texcuco.  It  was  during  his 


CHICHIMECS. 


43 


reign  that  the  Aztecs,  or  Mexicans,  whom  we  now 
hear  of  for  the  first  time,  established  themselves  in 
Tenochtitlan,  which  was  on  the  site  of  what  is  now 
the  city  of  Mexico,  though  their  arrival  made  but 


little  stir  in  the  neighborhood.  The  Chichimecs 
were  troubled  by  quarrels  with  the  new  kingdom  of 
Atzcapotzalco,  but  for  a century  they  maintained 
their  good  standing,  always  advancing  in  civilization 
and  the  arts  of  peace,  and  it  was  not  until  1409  that 


44 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


one  of  their  kings,  Ixtlilxochitl,  found  these  rising 
neighbors  too  strong  for  him.  The  Tepanecs  and 
the  Aztecs  united,  and  swore  together  a conspiracy 
to  overwhelm  him.  He  was  assassinated,  and  his 
throne  was  usurped  by  Tezozomoc,  the  king  of 
Atzcapotzalco. 

The  Chichimecs  may  be  said  to  come  to  an  end 
here ; for,  after  the  return  of  the  legitimate  line, 
their  realm  was  called  the  kingdom  of  Texcuco, 
where  their  capital  was  already  established.  This 
city  was  occupied  by  the  invaders,  who  made  it  their 
principal  seat.  The  usurper  at  his  death  was  suc- 
ceeded upon  his  stolen  throne  by  his  wicked  son 
Maxtla.  The  adventures  of  Nezahualcoyotl,  the 
rightful  heir,  are  told  by  a native  historian  descend- 
ed in  a direct  line  from  the  sovereigns  of  Texcuco, 
Ixtlilxochitl,  whose  writings,  though  probably  not 
over  accurate,  are  more  tangible  evidence  than  the 
faint  reports  of  previous  legends. 


V. 

NEZAHUALCOYOTL,  THE  HUNGRY  FOX. 

WHEN  the  city  of  Texcuco  was  seized,  the  young 
prince  Nezahualcoyotl,  the  heir  to  the  crown,  was 
but  fifteen  years  old.  He  fled  before  the  turbulent 
crowd  of  Tepanecs  as  they  rushed  into  the  palace 
gardens,  and  hid  himself  in  the  branches  of  a tree 
which  most  luckily  happened  to  come  in  his  way. 
From  his  hiding-place  among  its  thick  leaves  he  saw 
his  father,  Ixtlilxochitl,  left  alone  for  the  moment 
turn  and  face  his  furious  enemies.  They  seized  and 
killed  him  on  the  spot,  and  the  frightened  boy  saw 
the  bleeding  body  carried  off,  a victim,  as  he  well 
knew,  for  future  sacrifice.  Filled  with  horror  and 
burning  with  thoughts  of  vengeance,  he  fled  from 
the  spot,  seeking  safety  for  the  moment,  with  the 
firm  resolve  of  turning  later  upon  the  assassins  of 
his  father  and  the  usurpers  of  his  inheritance. 

As  the  country  was  full  of  the  triumphant  army, 
in  a few  days  the  young  prince  fell  into  the  hands  of 
his  pursuers,  who  knew  too  much  to  leave  him  at 
large.  He  was  seized  and  imprisoned  temporarily, 
until  some  decision  should  be  taken  as  to  his  fate. 
The  prison  was  a strong  place  guarded  by  the  same 
governor  who  had  held  it  in  the  previous  reign,  for 


45 


46 


TITE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  new  government  had  not  yet  had  time  to  change 
such  offices.  This  old  man  knew  the  prince  well, 
and  was  devoted  to  his  line.  He  helped  him  to  es- 
cape and  took  his  place  in  the  dungeon  cell.  It  was 
long  enough  before  the  change  was  discovered  for 
the  prince  to  be  far  out  of  reach  of  pursuit.  The 
good  old  governor  lost  his  head,  but  Nezahualcoyotl 
found  shelter  in  the  neighboring  province  of  Tlax- 
calla,  whose  rulers  were  for  the  moment  friendly  to 
his  family. 

This  is  the  place  which  later  offered  to  Cortes  pro- 
tection and  aid  in  his  enterprise  of  conquest.  Pres- 
cott calls  it  a republic  in  the  midst  of  many  small 
monarchies,  dwelling  apart  on  a system  of  govern- 
ment wholly  independent. 

Climbing  by  rail  the  ascent  from  Vera  Cruz,  the 
modern  traveller,  after  reaching  the  barren  plateau 
of  the  cold  region,  and  crossing  a dreary,  dismal 
country,  strikes  an  insensibly  downward  grade, 
which  gradually  leads  him  to  the  central  basin  of 
Mexico.  The  Malinche  presides  over  the  landscape, 
an  isolated  peak,  which  all  the  year  conceals  beds  of 
snow  in  the  crevices  of  its  summit,  though  unseen 
below,  rising  more  than  thirteen  thousand  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Less  majestic  than  the 
two  great  volcanoes,  it  yet  has  wonderful  beauty  of 
outline,  and  from  its  solitary  position  gains  im- 
portance. 

This  mountain  was  long  the  object  of  worship  for 
the  tribes  who  lived  around  its  base,  among  them 
the  Tlaxcallans,  whose  home  lies  to  the  northwest 
of  it,  in  a deep  valley  surrounded  by  barren  ridges. 


NEZAHUaLCOYOTL , THE  HUNGRY  FOX.  4/ 


Their  so-called  social  organization  and  mode  of  gov- 
ernment, which  have  given  their  country  the  name 
of  a kind  of  Mexican  Switzerland,  is  now  thought  to 
have  differed  little  from  those  of  their  neighbors. 
Their  chiefs  were  elected  from  an  hereditary  house 
of  rulers,  and  two  of  them  formed  the  nominal  head 
of  the  tribe,  while  the  true  power  lay  in  a council. 
Their  territory  consisted  of  narrow  valleys  spreading 
into  fertile  fields,  where  they  maintained  long  their 
independence,  subject  to  the  attacks  of  neighboring 
tribes.  Tlaxcalla  means  “the  land  of  bread.”  Its 
rich  products  naturally  were  tempting  to  the  neigh- 
boring tribes,  whose  limits  included  land  not  so 
good  for  cultivation.  Their  next  neighbors  were 
the  Cholulans,  who  dwelt  under  the  great  pyramid. 
The  Tlaxcallans  had  the  reputation  of  triumphing 
over  their  foes  in  battle,  for  they  were  both  bold 
and  strong. 

It  was  with  the  friendly  Tlaxcallans  that  the  wan- 
dering prince  lived,  unmolested  in  the  companion- 
ship of  a brave  man  who  followed  the  fortunes  of  his 
young  master.  He  had  been  the  family  preceptor 
ever  since  the  birth  of  the  prince.  This  tutor  was 
wise  as  well  as  learned  ; although  he  was  strongly 
prejudiced  in  favor  of  the  legitimate  family  and 
against  the  usurpation  of  the  fierce  Tepanec,  he  coun- 
selled restraint  and  patience,  and  caused  his  pupil  to 
lead  a quiet  life  without  attracting  attention,  while 
he  was  giving  him  lessons  in  the  art  of  governing 
and  training  in  all  the  qualities  good  for  a monarch 
to  possess. 

Meanwhile,  the  son  of  the  usurper  grew  up  un- 


48 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


trained  and  indulged  in  the  royal  palace,  humored 
but  feared  by  all  who  surrounded  him.  Maxtla  was 
born  of  a race  of  no  gentle  attributes  ; he  cared  little 
for  study,  and  knew  no  discipline.  He  knew  the 
rightful  prince,  and  hated  him  on  account  of  his  bet- 
ter claim  to  the  throne,  while  he  despised  his  reserve 
and  modest}',  which  he  set  down  to  weakness,  knowing 
nothing  of  the  qualities  of  self-restraint  and  reserved 
force.  When  Tezozomoc  died,  he  bequeathed  his 
empire  to  his  son  Maxtla.  On  the  accession  of  the 
new  sovereign,  all  the  great  families  hastened  to  do 
him  homage,  and  among  them  came  Nezahualcoyotl, 
then  twenty-three  years  old,  with  a present  of 
flowers,  which  he  laid  at  the  feet  of  the  young  king. 
Maxtla  sprang  up  and  spurned  the  flowers  with  his 
foot,  and  then  turned  his  back  upon  the  true 
prince,  who  had  self-control  enough  to  withdraw 
quietly,  admonished  by  signs  from  all  the  royal 
attendants,  with  whom  he  was  a favorite.  He  lost 
no  time  in  leaving  the  royal  palace,  and  hastened 
back  to  the  deserted  one  at  Texcuco. 

But  Maxtla  could  not  fail  to  see  that  the  sympa- 
thies even  of  his  own  followers  were  with  his  rival, 
whose  manners,  indeed,  were  those  to  win,  while  his 
own  repelled  the  affection  of  courtiers  and  inferiors. 
He  resolved  to  do  away  with  him,  and  formed  a plan 
which  failed  through  the  vigilance  of  the  wily  old 
tutor.  When  the  prince  was  invited  to  an  evening 
entertainment  by  Maxtla,  the  tutor  was  sure  that 
more  was  meant  than  a friendly  attention.  He 
could  not  permit  his  pupil  to  go,  but  accepted  the 
invitation  for  him,  and  sent  in  his  stead  a young  man 


NEZAHUALCOYOTL,  THE  HUNGRY  FOX.  49 


he  had  at  hand  who  singularly  resembled  Nezahual- 
coyotl.  This  youth,  perhaps,  was  pleased  to  attend 
a royal  feast,  dressed  in  the  rich  robes  which  the  son 
of  a king,  even  if  lacking  a throne,  might  wear  ; but 
there  must  have  been  a moment,  just  as  he  felt  the 
deadly  iztli  weapon  at  his  throat,  when  he  perceived 
the  game  was  not  worth  the  candle;  for  the  guest 
was  assassinated  as  he  came  to  the  table,  before  the 
substitution  could  be  perceived  ; and  thus  the  true 
prince  escaped.  His  descendant,  who  tells  us  the 
story,  does  not  let  us  know  whether  Nezahualcoyotl 
was  a party  to  the  deception.  We  will  leave  the 
blame  on  the  shoulders  of  the  wily  old  tutor,  in 
order  to  preserve  the  honor  of  our  hero  unsullied. 

When  Maxtla  found  that  his  rival  was  not  dead, 
like  a prince  in  a fairy  tale,  he  gave  up  secret  plots, 
and  boldly  sent  a band  of  armed  soldiers  to  the  old 
palace  at  Texcuco,  to  seize  the  young  man  whose 
popularity  he  feared.  The  tutor,  always  on  the  watch, 
arranged  everything  as  usual,  and  when  the  emissaries 
of  Maxtla  arrived,  they  found  the  prince  playingball  in 
the  court  of  the  palace.  He  received  them  cour- 
teously, as  if  he  thought  they  came  on  a friendly 
visit,  and  invited  them  to  come  in,  while  he  stepped 
into  a room  which  opened  on  the  court,  as  if  to  give 
orders  for  refreshments  for  them.  They  seemed  to 
be  seeing  him  all  the  time,  but,  by  the  directions  of 
the  old  tutor,  a censer  which  stood  in  the  passage  was 
so  fed  and  stirred  by  the  servants  that  it  threw  up 
clouds  of  incense  between  the  guests  and  their  host, 
between  which  Nezahualcoyotl  disappeared  into  a 
secret  passage  which  communicated  with  a great 


50 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


pipe  made  of  pottery,  formerly  used  to  carry  water 
into  the  palace.  He  stayed  there  till  after  dark, 
when  he  could  escape  without  being  seen,  and  found 
safety  in  a cottage  belonging  to  an  old  subject  loyal 
to  his  father’s  name.  A price  was  set  upon  his  head, 
and  a reward  offered  to  him  who  should  take  him 
dead  or  alive,  in  the  shape  of  a marriage  with  some 
lady  of  birth  and  broad  possessions.  This  bride 
never  came  to  her  wedding,  for  the  prince  was  not 
found.  Too  many  faithful  vassals  watched  over  him, 
in  spite  of  the  temptation  of  such  a brilliant  match  ; 
they  hid  him  under  heaps  of  magueys,  and  furnished 
him  with  every  means  of  escape.  They  turned  their 
heads  away  when  they  saw  him  pass,  lest  they  should 
be  forced  to  betray  the  knowledge  ; they  put  food 
for  him  in  places  where  he  might  steal  forth  and  find 
it.  They  hid  him  once  in  a large  thing  like  a drum, 
around  which  they  were  dancing  as  if  to  amuse  them- 
selves. In  fact,  no  one  would  give  him  up;  the 
whole  population  connived  to  protect  him  and  hide 
him  from  his  half-hearted  pursuers,  forced  to  the 
task  by  their  sovereign.  It  was  a poor  sort  of  life 
he  led,  and  his  own  sufferings  were  increased  by  his 
tender  heart  for  the  difficulties  these  caused  his  loyal 
protectors. 

Most  of  the  chiefs  of  the  regions  round  about 
were,  from  policy,  allied  to  the  usurper,  but  the  de- 
throned prince  had  friends,  and  the  party  on  his 
side  grew  large  as  the  tyranny  of  Maxtla  and  his  op- 
pressions caused  defections  among  his  followers. 
When  the  time  came  for  a general  rising,  Nezahual- 
coyotl  found  himself  at  the  head  of  a courageous 


NEZAHUALCOYOTL , THE  HUNGRY  FOX.  $ f 


band  which  gained  in  size  and  strength,  until  it 
seemed  safe  to  attack  the  regular  forces  of  Maxtla. 
In  the  battle  which  took  place  the  tyrant  was 
routed,  and  the  true  prince  triumphant.  As  soon  as 
this  was  known  all  the  chiefs  flocked  to  do  him 
homage,  and  he  entered  his  capital  in  triumph, 
crossing  to  the  sound  of  military  music  the  spot 
where  he  had  passed  an  evening  under  a drum,  and 
entering  by  the  royal  gates  the  palace  he  had  left 
through  a water-pipe.  Horses  were  not  known  in 
Anahuac  until  after  the  advent  of  the  Conquista- 
dores.  The  young  victor  was  borne  in  a sort  of 
palanquin  by  four  of  the  chief  nobles  of  the  kingdom. 

Thus  did  Nezahualcoyotl  return  to  the  throne  of 
his  fathers.  The  Mexicans,  who  had  helped  his 
former  enemies  to  overthrow  the  rule  of  his  father, 
now  joined  forces  with  him,  abandoning  without 
hesitation  Maxtla,  whose  oppression  and  exaction 
made  him  an  uncomfortable  ally.  A league  of  the 
other  neighboring  tribes,  combining  with  the  Mexi- 
cans, under  the  lead  of  the  true  prince  of  Texcuco, 
utterly  routed  the  forces  of  Maxtla,  and  this  tyrant 
who  himself  assassinated  the  father  was  slain  by  the 
hand  of  the  son. 

Maxtla  was  killed  in  1428.  The  usurpation  of 
the  throne  of  the  Chichimecs  by  Tezozomoc  first, 
and  afterwards  by  Maxtla,  his  son,  had  lasted  ten 
years.  By  this  event  the  kingdom  of  Atzcapotzalco 
came  to  an  end,  having  lasted  not  more  than  two 
hundred  and  sixty  years. 

The  kingdom  which  Nezahualcoyotl  regained 
from  the  usurpers,  whose  kings  traced  their  lineage 


52  THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

back  to  the  Chichimec  Xolotl  (Eye  of  great 
Vigilance),  now  became  the  kingdom  of  Texcuco 
Aculhuacan,  by  which  it  was  known  when  Cortes, 
with  his  conquering  legions,  appeared  on  the  plains 
of  Anahuac. 


VI. 

TEXCUCO. 

NOW  followed  the  Golden  Age  of  Texcuco.  The 
Fox,  no  longer  hungry  nor  hunted,  proved  himself  a 
very  Lion,  a King  of  Beasts;  he  ruled  his  kingdom 
with  wisdom,  as  he  had  fought  with  bravery,  and 
endured  adversity  with  patience. 

On  coming  to  the  throne,  he  proclaimed  a general 
amnesty,  pardoned  the  rebels,  and  even  gave  some 
of  them  posts  of  honor.  He  repaired  the  ruin 
wrought  by  the  usurper,  and  revived  what  was  worth 
revival  in  the  old  form  of.  government.  He  made  a 
code  of  laws  well  suited  to  the  demands  of  his  time, 
which  was  written  in  blood.  It  was  accepted  by 
the  two  other  powers  with  whom  he  now  entered 
into  alliances,  Mexico  and  Tlacopan.  His  adjust- 
ment of  the  different  departments  of  government 
was  remarkable  for  the  time,  or  indeed  for  anytime, 
providing  councils  for  every  emergency;  of  these 
the  most  peculiar  was  the  Council  of  Music,  de- 
voted to  the  interests  of  all  arts  and  science.  Its 
members  were  selected  from  the  best  instructed 
persons  of  the  kingdom,  without  much  reference  to 
their  ranks.  They  had  the  supervision  of  all  works 
of  art,  all  writings,  pictorial  or  hieroglyphic,  and  had 


53 


54 


THE  STONY  OF  MEXICO. 


an  eye  on  all  professors  to  keep  them  up  to  their 
work.  This  Council  of  Music  had  sessions  when  it 
listened  to  poems  and  historical  compositions  recited 
oy  their  authors,  who  received  prizes  according  to 
the  merit  of  their  work. 

The  literary  men  of  Texcuco  became  celebrated 
throughout  the  country,  and  its  archives  were  pre- 
served with  the  greatest  care  in  the  palace.  These 
records,  which  would  have  told  us  all  we  want  to 
know  of  the  early  story  of  the  people  of  Anahuac, 
were,  for  the  most  part,  inscribed  upon  a fine  fabric, 
made  of  the  leaves  of  the  American  aloe,  the  maguey 
which  also  gave  them  their  favorite  beverage.  The 
sheets  made  from  it  were  something  like  the  Egyp- 
tian papyrus,  and  furnished  a smooth  surface  like 
parchment,  upon  which  the  picture-writings  were 
laid  in  the  most  brilliant  tints.  These  manuscripts 
were  done  up  in  rolls  sometimes,  but  were  often 
folded  like  a screen,  and  enclosed  in  wooden  covers, 
not  very  unlike  our  books.  Quantities  of  such 
manuscripts  were  stored  up  in  the  country,  not  only 
by  the  Texcucans,  but  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
different  kingdoms.  Probably  no  race  has  made 
better  provision  for  handing  down  its  traditions  and 
history  than  these  people  who  wandered  from  the 
mysterious  North.  All  this  is  lost  to  us  by  the  in- 
fatuation of  the  Spanish  Conquistadores,  as  we  shall 
see  later  on. 

As  if  barbarians,  ignorant  of  types  and  bindings, 
should  descend  upon  the  British  Museum  or  Biblio- 
teque  Nationale,  and,  perceiving  therein  countless 
parallelograms  of  calf  containing  wicked  little  dots 


TEXCUCO. 


55 


upon  countless  white  leaves,  should  order  them  to 
be  destroyed,  as  foolishness  or  blasphemy.  So  the 
first  priests  of  the  Christian  religion  arriving  in  New 
Spain  destroyed  these  playthings  of  the  idolaters, 
which  they  conceived  to  be  probably  precious,  but 
at  all  events  useless. 

Only  chance  specimens  of  these  wonderful  pic- 
ture-writings escaped  the  general  destruction,  and 
from  which  is  gleaned  whatever  is  surmised  of  the 
earliest  life  of  the  tribes  of  Anahuac. 

Texcuco  led  all  the  other  nations  in  its  literary 
culture,  or  rather  pictorial  skill,  since  letters  were 
unknown.  The  Texcucan  idiom  was  the  purest  of 
all  the  many  dialects  from  the  Nahuatl  root. 
Among  its  poets,  the  king  himself,  Nezahualcoyotl, 
was  distinguished.  He  not  only  belonged  to  the 
Council  of  Music,  but  appeared  before  it  with  other 
competitors.  Perhaps  some  folded  screen  enclosing 
an  ode  by  his  hand  lies  hidden  yet  somewhere  in 
Mexico,  or  even  among  the  dusty  archives  of  Old 
Spain.  Some  few  have  come  to  light,  and  one 
of  them  exists  in  Spanish,  translated  by  a Mexi- 
can. It  is  hard  to  be  sure  of  the  import  of 
the  original  through  the  change  of  expression  in- 
evitable in  translating,  but  we  may  guess  something 
of  it. 

“ Rejoice,”  he  says,  “ O Nezahualcoyotl,  in  the 
enjoyable,  which  now  you  grasp.  With  the  flowers 
of  this  lovely  garden  crown  thy  illustrious  brows, 
and  draw  pleasure  from  those  things  from  which 
pleasure  is  to  be  drawn.” 

This  garden  of  the  no  longer  hungry  Fox  was  a 


56 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


wonderful  Place  of  Delights,  and  the  remains  of  it 
may  be  seen  to  this  day.  About  three  miles  from 
the  capital  rises  the  Laughing  Hill  of  Tezcot- 
zinco.  Here  are  left  the  remains  of  terraced 
walls,  and  stairways  wind  around  the  hill  from  the 
bottom  to  the  top.  In  shady  nooks  among  the  rocks 
seats  are  hollowed  out  of  the  stone,  and  ingenious 
contrivances  can  be  traced  on  all  sides  for  enhancing 
the  natural  advantages  of  the  situation.  The  most 
curious  of  all  the  vestiges  of  Nezahualcoyotl’s  gar- 
den is  a round  reservoir  for  water  at  an  elevation  of 
eighty  or  one  hundred  feet.  It  is  about  five  feet 
across  and  three  feet  deep.  Channels  led  from  it  in 
all  directions  to  water  and  refresh  the  terrace-gar- 
dens below. 

The  country  all  about  is  full  of  artificial  embank- 
ments, reservoirs  and  aqueducts  for  leading  water 
about,  and  developing  the  attractions  of  the  place. 
A magnificent  grove  of  lofty  ahuehuetes , at  some 
distance  from  the  central  part  of  the  grounds,  sur- 
rounds a large  quadrangle,  now  dry,  which  was  prob- 
ably an  artificial  lake  in  the  time  of  the  great  king, 
for  whose  pleasure  these  things  were  planned.  He 
was  rich  enough  to  pay  for  all  the  costly  works  he 
commanded,  by  reason  of  successful  wars  and  judi- 
cious management  of  domestic  industry,  and  so  was 
justified  in  indulging  his  taste  for  magnificence  in 
architecture.  The  ruins  of  Tezcotzinco  faintly  at- 
test the  truth  of  the  descriptions  of  this  royal  resi- 
dence, which  tell  of  hanging  gardens  approached  by 
steps  of  porphyry,  reservoirs  sculptured  with  the 
achievements  of  the  monarch,  and  adorned  with  mar- 


TEXCUCO. 


5/ 


ble  statues.  There  stood  a lion  of  solid  stone  more 
than  twelve  feet  long,  with  wings  and  feathers 
carved  upon  them.  He  was  placed  to  face  the  east, 
and  in  his  mouth  he  held  a stone  face,  which  was  the 
very  likeness  of  the  king  himself.  This  was  his 
favorite  portrait,  although  many  other  representa- 
tions of  him  had  been  made  in  gold,  wood,  or 
featherwork.  On  the  summit  of  the  hill  was  the 
carved  representation  of  a coyotl , the  hungry  fox 
which  gave  to  the  monarch  his  name  so  tedious  to 
us  to  pronounce. 

The  remains  of  Tezcotzinco  are  now  shown  as  the 
Baths  of  Montezuma;  but  this  is  a purely  modern 
application  of  the  title  of  a chief  more  commonly 
known.  The  baths  belonged  to  Nezahualcoyotl, 
and  if  by  chance  any  Montezuma  made  use  of  them, 
it  was  only  as  a passing  guest. 

Nezahualcoyotl,  this  wise,  good,  aesthetic  king, 
committed  a deed  which  his  descendant  and  histor- 
ian regards  as  a great  blot  upon  his  fame.  He 
remained  unmarried  for  a long  time,  on  account  of 
an  early  disappointment  in  love,  and  was  no  longer 
young  when  he  conceived  a violent  passion  for  a noble 
maiden  whom  he  met  at  the  house  of  one  of  his 
vassals.  This  vassal  wished  the  fair  lady  for  his  own 
bride;  he  had  in  fact  brought  her  up  with  that  in- 
tent, but  the  king,  regardless  of  the  laws  of  honor, 
caused  the  old  man  to  be  killed  by  his  own  men  in  a 
battle  with  the  Tlaxcallans,  which  he  set  on  foot  chief- 
ly for  this  purpose.  The  young  princess  was  then 
invited  to  the  royal  palace,  where  she  received  in  due 
form  and  time  an  offer  of  marriage  from  the  monarch. 


58 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  wedding  was  celebrated  with  great  pomp,  not 
long  after  the  funeral  of  the  vassal. 

This  is  the  only  anecdote  that  reflects  discredit 
on  the  monarch,  and  there  are  many  which  tell  to 
his  advantage.  It  was  his  custom,  as  with  the  East- 
ern Khalif,  to  go  about  in  disguise  among  his  people 
to  find  out  their  wants  in  order  to  alleviate  them. 

One  day  as  he  was  walking  through  a field  with  one 
of  his  friends  he  met  a small  boy  picking  up  sticks 
here  and  there.  “ There  are  many  more  in  the  forest 
yonder,”  he  said  ; “ why  do  not  you  go  there  to  get 
them  ? ” 

‘‘The  forest  belongs  to  the  king,”  said  the  boy, 
“ and  it  would  be  worth  my  life  to  take  his  property.” 

The  king  advised  him  to  disregard  the  law  and  go 
and  take  what  wood  he  wanted,  as  nobody  would 
find  him  out,  but  the  boy  was  too  honest  or  too  cau- 
tious to  follow  the  advice,  and  steadily  went  a glean- 
ing as  he  could  in  the  open  field. 

When  the  king  returned  to  the  palace  he  sent  for 
the  boy  and  his  parents.  The  parents  were  praised 
for  bringing  up  such  a boy,  the  boy  was  praised  and 
rewarded,  and  the  king  passed  a law  allowing  unlimi- 
ted picking  up  chips. 

In  short,  Nczahualcoyotl  was  a model  monarch. 
He  pardoned  all  his  enemies,  was  humane  and  clem- 
ent ; he  formed  a code  of  wise  and  just  laws,  and 
instituted  tribunals  for  the  prompt  administration  of 
justice  ; he  established  schools  and  academies  for  the 
diffusion  of  all  sorts  of  knowledge,  and  generously 
encouraged  science  and  art.  As  for  his  religious 
belief,  he  abjured  the  barbarous  creed  which  pre- 


TEXCUCO. 


59 


vailed  at  the  time,  and  announced  his  conviction  of 
the  existence  of  one  God,  author  of  the  universe. 
He  erected  a superb  temple  to  this  deity,  and  com- 
posed hymns  in  his  praise. 

Nezahualcoyotl  died  in  1472.  It  was  nearly  half 
a century  since  he  had  rescued  his  throne  from  the 
usurper.  He  had  raised  his  kingdom  from  the  anarchy 
in  which  he  found  it  to  a brilliant  station,  and  saw  it, 
at  the  close  of  his  life,  growing  stronger  and  going 
farther  in  the  path  of  advanced  civilization.  He  had 
brought  this  about  by  his  wise  and  judicious  rule 
and  might  well  contemplate  with  satisfaction  the 
results  of  his  wisdom  and  judgment. 

His  only  legitimate  son  was  about  eight  years  old 
at  the  time  of  his  father’s  death.  His  name  was 
Nezahuaipilli.  He  became  as  learned  as  his  father, 
was  liberal  and  charitable ; even  more  severe  in  the 
administration  of  justice,  going  so  far  as  to  condemn 
to  death  two  of  his  own  sons  who  had  infringed  the 
law.  In  his  time  he  was  held  to  be  the  wisest  mon- 
arch of  the  epoch,  and  amongst  his  subjects  he  had 
moreover  the  reputation  of  being  a magician. 

He  reigned  forty-four  years,  and  died  in  1516, 
leaving  the  kingdom  to  the  oldest  of  his  four  legiti- 
mate sons. 

The  reign  of  Nezahualcoyotl  is  the  most  glorious 
period  of  the  kingdom  of  Texcuco,  and  of  all  the 
kingdoms  of  Anahuac. 

Its  splendors  have  been  confounded  with  those 
of  the  Aztec  Court,  and,  as  we  see  in  the  names  now 
given  to  the  ruins  of  the  king’s  garden,  even  the 
name  of  the  Montezumas  is  mixed  up  with  the  Tex- 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


6o 

cucan  annals.  It  is  well,  however,  to  keep  the 
different  dynasties  distinct,  in  order  to  understand, 
when  we  come  to  the  Conquest,  the  various  parts 
these  distinct  peoples  played  in  that  exciting  drama. 

Texcuco  maintained  for  some  time  its  place  and 
distinction,  but  never  surpassed  the  height  it  reached 
in  the  fifteenth  century.  After  that  it  began  to 
diminish  ; family  dissensions  in  the  royal  house,  and 
external  warfare,  together  with  too  much  prosperity 
and  the  relaxation  that  comes  with  it,  were  preparing 
this  nation  for  the  tempest  and  change  already 
gathering  afar  off. 

This  glowing  account  of  the  splendors  of  Texcuco 
is  gathered  by  Prescott  from  the  writings  of  Fer- 
nando de  Alva  Ixtlilxochitl,  who  traced  his  descent, 
in  direct  line,  from  the  royal  house  of  Texcuco.  He 
lived  in  the  sixteenth  century,  occupying  the  position 
of  interpreter  to  the  Viceroy,  being  familiar  with  the 
Indian  dialects,  and  of  course  with  the  Spanish 
language. 

H e was  in  other  respects  a man  of  cultivation 
and  learning,  had  a library  of  his  own,  and  pursued 
diligently  the  study  of  the  picture-writings,  hiero- 
glyphics, and  legends  of  his  ancestors,  with  the 
object  of  throwing  light  on  the  obscure  places  of 
their  story.  He  wrote,  in  Spanish,  various  books 
about  the  primitive  races  of  Anahuac,  among  them 
the  “ Historia  Chichimeca,”  which  has  been  used  as  a 
source  of  authority  since  it  was  first  written. 

As  a Christian,  Ixtlilxochitl  has  given  to  the 
legends  of  the  Quetzalcoatl  and  other  mysteries  of 
the  early  Mexican  races,  a color  evidently  borrowed 
from  the  light  of  Christian  traditions,  and  the  author 


TEXCUCO. 


61 


has  cast  over  his  picture  of  the  Golden  Age  a 
glow  which  is  hardly  justified  by  the  cold  light  of 
modern  research.  His  story  is  now  regarded  as 
unreliable  in  many  particulars.  Yet  as  a legend 
it  retains  its  charm  ; and  as  history  the  graceful 
fabric  need  not  be  utterly  destroyed  while  the  monu- 
ments at  Texcuco  and  the  manuscripts  of  Nezahual- 
coyotl  attest  the  existence  of  such  a king  and  such 
a court.  Until  the  diligent  research  of  those  ex- 
plorers who  are  now  busy  in  searching  for  the  facts 
of  early  Mexican  history,  have  fully  established 
them,  we  may  enjoy  the  tale  of  past  magnificence 
upon  the  plateau  of  Anahuac. 

The  period  of  the  Golden  Age  of  Texcuco  is  as- 
cribed to  the  fifteenth  century  ; the  date  assigned 
to  Nezahualcoyotl’s  accession  being  1430.  The 
Spanish  invasion  took  place  in  1516  A.D. 

During  that  century  the  red  rose  of  Lancaster 
was  warring  with  the  white  rose  of  York;  Joan  of 
Arc,  in  France,  grew  up  in  her  village  home,  to  win 
back  for  the  French  king  his  lost  provinces.  Isa- 
bella and  Ferdinand,  by  uniting  the  two  houses  of 
Castile  and  Aragon,  made  Spain  the  powerful  king- 
dom, which  was  to  discover  the  New  World. 

All  these  princes  and  potentates,  busy  with  their 
own  wars  and  marriages,  lived  their  lives  without 
thought  of  any  form  of  high  civilization  across  an 
untravelled  ocean.  Even  Columbus,  as  he  urged  upon 
the  queen  his  longing  to  cross  that  ocean  to  find  out 
what  was  beyond  it,  did  not  suggest  to  her  the 
vision  of  a cultivated  court  with  a king  who  wrote 
poetry  in  an  unknown  tongue,  and  had  carved  lions 
upon  his  marble  stairways. 


VII. 

MICHOACAN. 

WEST  of  the  city  of  Mexico  and  the  state  of  the 
same  name  lies  Michoacan,  one  of  the  largest  of  the 
present  divisions  of  the  country.  It  begins  on  the 
plateau,  but  stretches  down  the  steep  western  slope 
to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  seamed  with 
deep  barrancas  between  the  upper  and  the  lower 
portions,  so  steep  and  impassable  that  the  railway 
which  is  already  engineered  to  connect  the  capital 
with  Colima  on  the  western  coast,  waits  long  to 
gather  courage  for  the  leap.  On  the  higher  land 
mountain-peaks  divide  fertile  lofty  valleys,  in  which 
large  lakes  sparkle  in  the  soft  light  of  the  climate. 
Michoacan  signifies  in  Tarascan  Land  of  Fish. 
These  broad  sheets  of  water  are  even  now  as  still 
and  lonely  as  when  the  early  wanderers  from  the 
unknown  North  settled  upon  their  borders,  except 
when  the  shriek  of  a modern  steam-engine  disturbs 
their  silence,  and  frightens  the  many  birds  who  live 
there.  As  the  train  passes  along  the  edge  of  Lake 
Cuitzao,  eighteen  miles  long,  clouds  of  winged  crea- 
tures start  up  surprised,  but  not  much  frightened 
from  the  rushes  by  the  water.  Perhaps  a rose-col- 
ored flamingo  may  be  seen  standing  on  one  leg, 

62 


- MlCtiOACAN. 


63 


undisturbed  by  the  noise,  because  he  is  unaccus- 
tomed to  fear.  Across  the  lake  glows  a brilliant 
scarlet  behind  graceful  mountain  outlines.  By  the 
many  curves  of  the  road  these  forms  appear,  vanish, 
and  recur,  till  the  day  has  faded. 


VASE  IN  THE  NATIONAL  MUSEUM,  WASHINGTON. 


Farther  from  the  capital,  I’atzcuaro  and  its  lake 
have  hidden  their  charms  still  longer.  It  was  only 
in  1886  that  the  railroad  penetrated  to  them.  They 
are  nearer  the  middle  of  the  upper  part  of  Micho- 
acan,  at  an  elevation  of  seven  thousand  feet  above 


64 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  sea.  The  heights  in  this  region,  though  they 
seem  hills,  because  their  base  is  on  so  high  a level, 
attain  to  numbers  of  measurement  belonging  to 
mountains.  The  Place  of  Delights,  as  the  name  of 
Patzcuaro  is  translated  from  the  Tarascan  language 
of  its  old  inhabitants,  is  a lonely  little  city  now,  con- 
taining no  more  than  eight  thousand  natives,  many 
of  whom  are  descended  from  the  first  inhabitants, 
and  speak  the  Tarascan  tongue.  The  town  is  built 
on  hilly  broken  ground,  with  narrow  crooked  streets, 
from  which  glimpses  are  constantly  to  be  had  of 
the  beautiful  lake  stretching  out  below.  Abundant 
springs  water  the  town  and  flow  through  the  fountains 
in  the  market-place,  an  open  square  surrounded  by 
noble  ash-trees.  Just  outside  the  town  stone  seats 
have  been  placed  at  a point  overlooking  a lovely 
view  of  the  clustering  town,  the  long  irregular  lake 
with  jutting  points  clothed  throughout  the  year 
with  verdure,  and  dotting  islands  upon  its  surface. 

This  place  of  delights  was  long  the  seat  of  the 
native  chiefs  of  Michoacan,  who,  though  they  did 
not  attain  such  a reputation  for  learning  and  culti- 
vation as  Ixtlilxochitl  the  Texcucan  narrator  has 
given  his  ancestors,  had  yet  taste  and  intelligence 
enough  to  enjoy  the  beauty  of  their  home. 

In  the  beginning,  wandering  tribes  may  have  set- 
tled on  the  borders  of  the  lake  for  the  mere  casual 
advantages  of  satisfying  their  hunger,  for  the  lake 
abounds  with  fish,  and  feathered  game  frequent  its 
chores  from  time  immemorial.  The  first  have  been 
supposed  to  be  Chichimecs,  either  before  or  after 
their  dealings  with  the  Toltecs.  The  region  was 


MICHOA  CAN. 


65 


too  attractive  for  one  tribe  to  possess  it  unmolested. 
Other  men,  perhaps  fresh  from  the  same  mysterious 
North,  perhaps  driven  out  by  force  or  discontent 
from  former  homes  upon  Anahuac,  came  to  dispute 
the  fruitful  territory.  Such  contests  were  decided  by 
the  triumph  of  the  stronger;  intermarriages  healed 
the  wound,  and  brief  peace  settled  on  the  shore  of 
the  lake,  to  be  broken  by  and  by  with  similar  in- 
cursions, followed  by  similar  results.  Out  of  such 
sequence,  a name  and  date  emerge  as  pegs  to  hang 
some  facts  on,  in  the  hitherto  accepted  story. 

Ire-Titatacame  was  this  first  chief  of  this  first  people 
with  a name  which  could  last.  He  made  friends 
with  a neighboring  chief,  and  married  his  daughter, 
the  Princess  of  Naranjan.  We  may  imagine  her, 
like  her  remote  descendants,  a dusky  maiden,  rather 
small,  with  straight  black  hair,  which  she  knew  how 
to  braid  in  two  long  tresses  to  hang  along  her  back. 
Did  her  grandmother  learn  the  art  from  the  same 
coiffeur  that  prepared  the  mother  of  Ramses  for  her 
morning  care?  Her  eyes  were  intelligent,  piercing, 
but  soft,  two  rows  of  brilliant  white  teeth  lighted 
her  face  when  she  smiled,  as  she  gathered  herself  pop- 
pies for  a wreath  on  the  borders  of  the  Lake  of  De- 
lights. 

This  princess  became  the  mother  of  Sicuiracha, 
who  was  born  in  1202,  they  say,  about  the  time 
that  the  little  English  prince,  Arthur,  was  being  mur- 
dered at  Rouen  by  the  order  of  his  wicked  uncle. 
The  little  prince  of  Naranjan-Chichimeca  was  not 
ten  years  old  when  a tribe  ofTarascans  assaulted  his 
father’s  city,  and  slew  that  monarch.  He  grew 


66 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


*up  to  console  his  mother,  avenge  the  deed,  and  to 
control  his  own  subjects  and  the  conquered  tribe, 
which  however  impressed  its  language  and  dialect 
upon  the  nation,  so  that  in  that  region,  Tarascan 
survived. 

Sicuiracha  lived  to  a good  old  age,  and  in  peace. 
He  died  at  the  close  of  the  thirteenth  century,  leav- 
ing two  sons. 

One  of  these  married  an  island  woman  of  the  lake, 
and  her  son  preserved  the  royal  line  ; for  his  father 
and  uncle  were  put  to  death  by  a chieftain  of  the 
neighborhood  who  desired  the  fair  Place  of  Delights 
for  his  own.  But  Tixiacuri  was  hidden  by  priests, 
who  taught  him  the  great  art  of  war,  so  that  in  due 
time  he  came  forth  at  the  head  of  armies,  destroyed 
his  enemies,  took  to  himself  all  the  territory  of  the 
king  who  slew  his  father,  and  extended  his  own 
even  beyond  these,  thus  first  really  governing  the 
wide  kingdom  of  Michoacan,  which  goes  down  to 
the  sea. 

Tixiacuri,  at  his  death,  divided  the  territory,  giv- 
ing parts  of  it  to  two  nephews,  one  of  whom,  Hicux- 
axe,  got  Patzcuaro,  and  called  himself  king  of  it. 
Tangoxoan,  the  son  of  the  late  king  summoned  his 
court  to  Tzintzuntzan,  fifteen  miles  up  the  lake.  He 
is  counted  the  fifth  of  the  chiefs  of  Michoacan,  and 
leaves  no  other  record  but  that  all  his  sons  died 
violent  deaths. 

In  the  next  period  the  provinces  given  to  Tixia- 
curi’s  nephews  came  together  again  under  one  head, 
and  the  tribes  thus  united  grew  and  prospered. 
Zovanga,  the  seventh  ruler,  held  sway  over  the  whole 


Ml  Giro  A CAN. 


67 


extent  of  Michoacan.  Its  capital  was  Tzintzuntzan, 
and  its  fullest  limit  touched  the  waters  of  the 
western  ocean.  This  king  constructed  the  cele- 
brated walls  of  Michoacan  to  shut  in  his  terri- 
tories ; he  advanced  agriculture,  and  brought  his 
army  to  such  excellence  that  it  triumphed  over 
his  enemies,  even  the  Mexicans,  who,  by  this 
time  powerful  rivals,  undertook  an  expedition  into 
Michoacan  in  1481.  In  a bloody  battle  which 
lasted  two  whole  days  the  Mexicans  were  utterly 
routed. 

The  reign  of  Zovanga  is  described  as  long  and 
glorious,  and  he  left  his  country  in  a state  of  peace 
and  prosperity  when  he  died,  near  the  beginning  of 
the  sixteenth  century.  The  eighth  and  last  Taras- 
can  monarch  of  Michoacan,  Tangoxoan  II.,  was 
the  contemporary  of  Montezuma;  like  him,  un- 
fortunate enough  to  live  to  see  the  invasion  of  the 
Conquistadores.  He  was  called  by  them  Calzonzi, 
which  is  only  the  Tarascan  word  for  any  chief  or 
leader. 

His  capital  was  at  Tzintzuntzan,  a city  with  a 
population  of  forty  thousand  inhabitants,  it  is  said, 
at  the  time  of  the  conquest.  Its  name  is  an  imita- 
tion of  the  noise  of  humming  birds,  which,  in  the 
Tarascan  days,  as  now,  darted  in  multitudes  over  the 
gay  flowers  that  border  the  lake  in  profusion.  This 
people  loved  birds  as  they  did  flowers,  and  excelled 
in  the  delicate  feather-work  still  practised  in  Mexico, 
in  which  bright-colored  plumage  is  daintily  made  to 
serve  instead  of  paints.  The  monarch  of  Michoacan 
held  court  at  Tzintzuntzan,  but  his  pleasure-house 


68 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


was  at  Patzcuaro,  eighteen  miles  away.  Legend  says 
that  when  he  chose  to  have  a collation  there,  a line 
of  servants  was  stationed  all  along  the  way  between 
the  two  palaces,  to  pass  the  dishes  from  the  royal 
kitchen  to  the  royal  table.  However  this  may  be, 
there  are  traces  of  a subterranean  passage  which  per- 
haps connected  the  capital  with  the  other  town. 
Some  years  ago  an  excavation  was  attempted  at 
Tzintzuntzan,  with  the  hope  of  discovering  this 
passage,  but  the  natives  quietly  resisted  this  work 
by  always  filling  up  the  place  as  soon  as  it  was  dug 
out.  From  generation  to  generation  these  people 
transmit  the  traditions  of  the  ancient  grandeur  of 
their  race,  and  silently  preserve  what  they  can  of  its 
traces.  They  have  no  written  language  of  their 
own,  and  no  orators.  What  they  know  of  the  past 
they  do  not  wish  to  tell  to  outsiders  : but  their  vil- 
lages are  full  of  legends,  which  the  old  people  hand 
down  to  the  younger  ones  in  their  strange  Tarascan 
speech.  They  are  tenacious  of  their  manners  and 
customs,  and  preserve  in  their  church  festivals  the 
forms  and  rites  which  the  early  priests  allowed  them 
to  transfer  from  their  old  religion  to  the  ceremonials 
of  the  newly  acquired  Catholic  faith.  The  Taras- 
cans  are  skilful  in  carving  in  bone.  They  make  tiny 
boxes,  neatly  fitted  with  lock  and  key,  of  wood. 
Their  canoes  are  dug  out  of  tree-trunks,  and  they 
kill  the  wild  fowl  which  swarm  and  herd  in  quantities 
upon  their  lake,  with  a long  wooden  javelin  hurled 
with  skill.  Their  pottery,  like  that  of  all  the  Mexi- 
cans, is  simple  in  design,  graceful  in  form,  and  taste- 
ful in  color.  From  time  immemorial  they  have 


MICHOACAN. 


69 


possessed  the  knowledge  of  handling  clay  and 
making  their  utensils  of  it. 

Such  are  the  descendants  of  the  old  Tarascan 
tribes,  little  changed  as  yet  by  the  changes  of  gov- 
ernment that  have  swept  over  their  country  since 
the  invasion  of  the  Conquistadores. 


VIII. 

MAYAS. 

There  is  another  race  of  which  something  must  be 
said  before  we  begin  upon  the  Aztecs,  that  branch  of 
the  Nahuatl  family  which  took  the  leading  part  in 
the  struggle  with  the  Conquistadores. 

Although  the  Mayan  civilization  was  established 
outside  the  limits  of  the  present  Mexico,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  know  something  of  it  in  connection  with  the 
other  tribes  who  built  up  the  civilization  of  Ana- 
huac. 

The  Mayas  are  thought  to  have  been  the  earliest 
of  the  Nahuatl  family  to  migrate  from  their  northern 
home.  Their  language  differs  from  the  other  Nahua 
dialects,  and  so  do  their  traditions,  monuments,  and 
hieroglyphics,  but  these  differences  were  probably 
caused  by  the  difference  in  time  in  the  departure  of 
these  races  from  their  common  starting-point.  The 
resemblance  outweighs  the  disparity,  and  we  can 
only  imagine  that  the  deviations  were  caused  by  a 
long  separation  from  the  original  stock.  Their 
descendants  live  in  Yucatan,  and  the  early  monu- 
ments of  the  Mayas  are  found  in  that  country  and 
its  neighborhood. 

They  are  supposed  to  have  migrated  from  the 


70 


MA  YAS. 


/I 

shores  of  the  Atlantic  to  the  region  now  the  state 
of  Chiapas,  the  farthest  south  of  all  the  states,  ad- 
joining Guatemala,  in  the  midst  of  a rich  and  fertile 
country.  Their  empire  grew  to  be  one  of  great  im- 


CASA  DEL  GOBERNADOR,  UXMAL. 


portance,  so  that  at  one  time  even  the  proud  Tula 
was  tributary  to  it.  It  extended  over  the  greater 
part  of  Central  America.  Mayapan  and  Copan  were 
the  other  chief  tribes  of  their  confederacy,  of  which 


THE  STORY  CF  MEXICO. 


Nachan,  or  Town  of  Serpents,  was  the  capital  or 
chief. 

This  great  city  was  already  in  ruins,  buried  in  the 
thick  wilderness,  its  site  and  very  existence  forgot- 
ten before  the  arrival  of  the  Conquistadores.  Cortes 
must  have  marched  close  to  it  once  when  he  was  on 
his  way  to  Honduras,  but  he  probably  had  no  notion 
of  its  existence.  The  ruins  were  discovered  by  chance 
in  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  by  a curate 
of  the  little  town  Palenque  in  the  neighborhood. 

In  1764,  the  Spanish  government  sent  explorers  to 
visit  these  ruins,  and  since  then  they  have  been  care- 
fully studied.  The  importance  and  extent  of  the 
buildings  seem  to  show  that  the  ancient  city  was 
once  the  capital  and  centre  of  the  ancient  state  of 
Mayapan.  Traces  of  streets  extend  for  a length  of 
six  leagues  or  more,  following  the  course  of  moun- 
tain streams,  which  doubtless  furnished  the  inhabi- 
tants with  water. 

The  most  important  building  at  Palenque  is  the 
Palace.  It  rests  on  a truncated  pyramid  about  fifty 
feet  high,  of  which  the  base  measures  three  hundred 
and  ten  feet  by  two  hundred  and  sixty.  Subter- 
ranean galleries  penetrated  the  interior  of  the  pyra- 
mid. It  is  made  of  earth,  with  external  faces  of  large 
slabs;  steps  lead  up  to  the  top,  on  which  is  the  chief 
building,  a quadrilateral  of  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  feet  by  one  hundred  and  eighty  ; the  walls  are 
from  two  to  three  feet  thick,  ornamented  with  a frieze 
between  two  double  cornices,  covered  with  painted 
stucco,  either  red,  blue,  black,  or  white.  There  are 
fourteen  entrances  in  the  eastern  front,  which  is  the 


MA  YAS. 


73 


principal  one,  separated  by 
pillars  ornamented  with 
figures  more  than  six  feet 
in  height.  Over  their  heads 
are  hieroglyphics  which 
contain  the  key  to  their 
meaning,  still  hidden  to  us. 

The  inside  of  the  palace 
corresponds  with  the  out- 
side, galleries  run  all  round 
the  court,  and  the  lofty 
chambers  are  decorated 
with  strange  bas-reliefs  in 
granite  thirteen  feet  high 
or  more,  strange  and  gro- 
tesque to  us,  but  full  of 
meaning  and  expression 
to  the  race  which  under- 
stood them. 

Over  the  palace  rises  a 
tower  of  three  stories,  thir- 
ty feet  square  at  the  base, 
decorated  profusely  with 
symbols  no  longer  sug- 
gestive. A strange  thing 
about  the  palace  is  that 
the  staircases  look  new, 
the  steps  whole  and  un- 
worn, as  if  the  people  who 
built  it  had  suddenly  taken 
flight  soon  after  they  erect- 
ed their  chief  buildings. 


STATUE  FROM  PALENQUE. 


74 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


One  other  of  the  monuments  of  Palenque  should 
be  mentioned,  the  Temple  of  the  Cross.  It  rises 
from  a truncated  pyramid,  and  forms  a quadrilateral 
separated  by  pilasters,  ornamented  with  hieroglyphics 
and  human  figures.  The  openings  lead  through  an 
inside  gallery  to  three  little  rooms,  of  which  the  mid- 
dle one  contains  an  altar,  ornamented  with  a frieze. 
Above  this  altar  until  recently  stood  three  marble 
slabs,  of  which  one  is  now  in  the  Smithsonian  Insti- 
tute at  Washington,  the  central  stone  at  the  National 
Museum  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  the  third  still 
remains  at  Palenque.  They  are  six  feet  four  inches 
in  height,  four  feet  wide,  and  six  inches  thick,  of 
cream-colored  stone  of  a fine  grain.  The  central 
stone  now  in  Mexico  gives  a striking  representation 
of  the  Christian  cross  on  a pedestal  in  the  midst  of  a 
tangle  of  hieroglyphics,  with  a priestly  figure,  nearly 
life  size,  which  in  the  stone  still  at  Palenque  is  con- 
tinued by  another  figure  of  a priest  and  six  rows  of 
hieroglyphics  running  from  top  to  bottom.  The 
piece  at  Washington  is  covered  with  similar  rows  of 
hieroglyphics,  and  contains  ornaments  to  match  the 
human  figure  on  the  left  of  the  central  stone.  The 
startling  resemblance  to  a cross  on  this  tablet  has 
excited  much  discussion  ; it  is  said  that  the  presence 
of  the  emblem  of  the  Christian  faith  caused  it  to  be 
torn  down  and  cast  forth  into  the  forest,  which 
crowds  around  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  city.  But 
such  representations  of  the  symbol  of  an  earlier  date 
than  the  Christian  era,  have  been  found  elsewhere 
in  America.  The  cross  was  looked  upon  by  the 
Mayas  as  the  sign  of  the  creative  and  fertilizing 


MA  YAS. 


75 


powers  of  nature,  and  has  no  affinity  with  the  Chris- 
tian one.  Some  attempts  have  been  made  to  deci- 
pher the  meaning  of  the  Palenque  tablets,  consider- 


ing the  three  pieces  as  a whole.  The  figure  on  the 
left  (still  at  Palenque)  is  said  to  be  the  Sun  with  his 
grand  mitre.  He  presents  an  offering  in  his  hand, 


;6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


and  appears  to  be  blowing  with  his  mouth  or  breath- 
ing incense.  At  his  back  are  two  astronomical  signs, 
representing,  one  the  four  phases  of  the  moon,  and 
the  other  the  great  Period  of  the  Sun.  The  figure  at 
the  right  (in  the  museum  at  Mexico)  is  larger  than 
the  other.  It  stands  erect  with  outstretched  arms 
offering  a child  before  the  cross.  This  priest  differs 
from  the  other  in  being  without  the  sacred  mask  and 
the  robe  of  ocelotl  skin.  Both  figures  open  their  lips 
in  prayer  to  the  deity,  the  cross,  here  united  with 
the  sign  Acatl,  an  arrow  thrust  through  the  upper 
half  making  another  smaller  cross.  At  the  right  of 
the  cross  are  the  signs  of  the  four  seasons  of  the 
year,  vernal  equinox,  summer  solstice,  autumnal 
equinox,  and  winter  solstice.  The  bird  above  the 
cross  is  the  star  of  the  morning,  and  the  strange  fig- 
ure below  may  be  a skull,  to  represent  the  star  of  the 
evening.  According  to  this  explanation  the  famous 
tablet  of  Palenque,  with  its  accidental  likeness  to 
the  Christian  cross,  was  dedicated  to  the  Sun  as  the 
great  creative  power,  and  to  the  Year  with  its  four 
seasons,  and  change  of  morning  and  evening.  Pa- 
lenque is  by  no  means  the  only  monument  of  the 
ancient  people  in  this  region.  Yucatan  is  covered 
with  interesting  ruins,  the  remains  of  different 
branches  of  the  mighty  Mayan  race.  It  can  hardly 
be  doubted,  moreover,  that  extensive  ruins  lie  yet 
hidden  in  the  unexplored  regions  of  the  peninsula. 
Chichen-Itza  is  one  of  the  few  towns  which  has  pre- 
served its  ancient  Mayan  name,  from  chicken,  open- 
ing of  a well,  and  Itza,  one  of  the  chief  branches  of 
Mayapan  confederacy.  Itza  maintained  its  inde- 


A!  A YAS. 


77 


pendence,  after  the  destruction  of  the  confederacy, 
for  two  centuries  after  the  Conquest.  It  was  then 
taken  by  the  Spaniards  and  completely  destroyed. 

Over  an  extent  of  several  miles  are  seen  masses  of 
rubbish,  broken  sculptures,  overturned  columns,  of 
which  nearly  five  hundred  bases  have  been  counted. 
Chichen  was  one  of  the  religious  centres  of  Yuca- 


MAYAN  BAS-RELIEF. 

tan,  which  accounts  for  the  number  and  mag- 
nificence of  its  temples.  The  walls,  in  many  cases, 
are  covered  with  paintings,  in  black,  red,  yellow,-  and 
white;  they  represent  processions  of  warriors  or 
priests,  with  black  heads,  strange  head-dresses,  and 
wide  tunics  on  their  shoulders.  The  faces  on  the 
bas-reliefs  are  remarkable  as  giving  a different  type 


73 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


from  the  pointed  heads  and  retreating  foreheads 
of  those  at  Palenque.  The  heads  on  the  Yucatan 
monuments  as  those  of  the  present  inhabitants  are 
better  developed.  The  sculpture  is  rich  ; the  bas- 
reliefs  give  an  idea  of  the  head-dress  of  the  natives. 

A flight  of  steps  is  ornamented  with  a balustrade 
of  interlaced  serpents. 

Chaak  Mool,  also  known  under  the  name  of  Balam, 
the  tiger-chief,  was  one  of  three  brothers  who  shared 
between  them  the  government  of  Yucatan.  He  was 
married  to  Kinich  Katmo,  a woman  of  marvellous 
beauty. 

Now  Aak,  the  brother  of  Chaak  Mool,  fell  in  love 
with  the'  fair  Kinich,  the  wife  of  his  brother.  In 
order  to  possess  her,  he  caused  her  husband  to  be  as- 
sassinated, hoping  thus  to  win  the  hand  of  the  widow* 
But  Kinich,  far  from  yielding  to  the  persuasions  of 
Aak,  remained  faithful  to  the  memory  of  Chaak,  and 
out  of  conjugal  devotion  caused  his  statue  to  be 
made.  Moreover  she  caused  her  palace  to  be  adorned 
with  paintings  representing  the  chief  events  in  the 
life  of  her  departed  spouse,  and  the  sad  scene  of  his 
death.  In  one  of  these  paintings  we  may  see  the 
wicked  Aak,  holding  in  his  hand  three  spears,  to 
symbolize  the  three  wounds,  by  means  of  which  his 
brother  was  despatched. 

The  painting  is  accompanied  by  hieroglyphics, 
which  an  explorer  in  1875,  Dr.  Le  Plongeon,  suc- 
ceeded in  deciphering  far  enough  to  learn  that  the 
tomb  of  Chaak  Mool  was  to  be  found  at  a place  some 
four  hundred  yards  from  the  palace.  He  at  once 
set  about  excavations  at  this  spot.  At  first  were 


MA  YAS. 


79 


found  several  bas-reliefs  representing  cats  and  birds 
of  prey;  about  twenty  feet  lower  down  was  an  urn 
of  stone  containing  ashes,  and  last  of  all  the  statue 
of  a man  reclining  upon  a slab  of  stone.  This  statue 
is  now  in  the  National  Museum  of  Mexico,  under 
the  title  of  Chaak  Mool,  as  if  it  were  the  image  made 
by  order  of  the  devoted  Kinich  Katmo ; but  the 
type  of  the  face,  the  costume,  head-dress,  and  sandals 


STATUE  OF  CHAAK  MOOL. 


are  altogether  different  from  the  usual  Yucatan 
models,  and  moreover  other  little  Chaak  Mods  have 
been  found  in  different  parts  of  Mexico,  so  that  the 
wise  are  led  to  suppose  that  it  represents  some  un- 
know divinity  rather  than  a king  of  Yucatan. 

The  Spaniards  found  throughout  Yucatan  roads 
made  for  the  convenience  of  travellers,  probably  to 
the  religious  centres  of  the  country.  Some  of  these 


8o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


roads  are  calzadas,  like  those  of  which  traces  exist 
in  many  parts  of  Mexico,  dating  far  beyond  the 
Spaniards.  The  remains  of  one  of  these  were  used  in 
building  the  modern  city  of  Merida  in  Yucatan. 
This  highway  measured  from  between  seven  and 
eight  yards  in  width  ; it  was  made  of  blocks  of  stone 
covered  with  mortar,  and  a layer  of  cement  about 
two  inches  thick.  Solid  bridges  of  masonry  spanned 
the  rivers  of  Mexico  and  Yucatan,  of  which  the 
massive  piers  have  been  seen  standing  during  the  last 
century. 

Such  are  the  monuments  of  the  Mayan  people, 
of  whom  not  many  facts  are  to  be  disentangled 
from  the  early  legends.  Like  the  traditions  of  the 
Mexican  tribes,  the  Mayas  tell  of  a supernatural 
being,  who  came  from  the  other  side  of  the  Carib- 
bean seas,  from  a land  of  shadows.  His  name  was 
Votan,  in  the  Mayan  tradition.  He  found  a people 
in  the  extreme  of  barbarism  living  in  caves,  feeding 
upon  the  bloody  flesh  of  animals  they  killed  in 
hunting;  he  taught  them  many  things,  so  that  by 
his  example,  and  for  generations  after  he  left  them 
by  his  precepts,  they  advanced  to  high  civilization. 
According  to  his  instructions,  the  only  sacrifices 
offered  to  the  gods  were  the  flowers  and  incense, 
sometimes  birds  and  animals.  Votan  is  described 
as  a great  warrior,  leading  his  people  to  one  triumph 
after  another.  Votan,  it  would  seem,  had  a com- 
panion and  disciple  called  Zamna,  to  whom  also  the 
inhabitants  of  Yucatan  ascribe  their  ancient  prog- 
ress. It  was  he,  they  say,  who  invented  hieroglyphics, 
and  he  was  the  first  to  attach  names  to  men  and 


MA  YAS. 


Si 


things.  He  was  buried,  according  to  the  account  of 
the  natives,  at  Izamal,  one  of  the  sacred  towns  of 
Yucatan,  beneath  three  different  pyramids.  Under 
one  is  his  right  hand,  the  head  under  another,  and 
the  heart  is  beneath  the  third.  A huge  head  carved 
in  stone  has  been  found  at  Izamal,  which  perhaps 
represents  the  Prophet  Zamna. 


ZAMNA. 


The  Mayas  used  copper  and  gold.  Their  weap- 
ons were  slings,  spears,  and  arrows  with  points 
made  of  obsidian  or  bone.  Their  warriors  wore 
armor  of  well-padded  cotton,  their  shields  were 
round  and  decorated  with  feathers,  or  the  skins  of 
animals.  They  made  boats  by  hollowing  o.ut  the 
trunks  of  trees,  large  enough  to  hold  fifty  people, 
which  they  guided  with  great  skill.  Votan  was  re- 


82 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


garded  as  a god  after  his  death,  like  Quetzalcoatl, 
with  the  Toltecs.  Fierce  wars  waged  between  vo- 
taries of  the  two  as  time  went  on.  The  Mayan 
legends  and  the  few  manuscripts  preserved  tell  of 
nothing  but  wars  and  conquests,  struggles  and  de- 
feats. The  confederation  invaded  by  other  tribes 
who  triumphed  over  it  declined.  Their  religion  de- 
teriorated, as  the  traditions  of  Votan  and  his  pre- 
cepts faded  away,  and  the  people  returned  to  the 
custom  of  human  sacrifice,  as  bloody  and  terrible 
with  them  as  with  the  other  American  races. 

In  their  monuments  we  can  trace  these  evi- 
dences of  their  civilization  ; they  are  remarkable  for 
number  and  dimension,  and  the  taste  and  skill  shown 
in  their  ornamentation  implies  a condition  above 
that  of  savage  tribes  warring  against  each  other  to 
defend  the  necessities  of  mere  existence. 


AZTECS. 


We  now  come  to  the  tribe  best  known  among  those 
who  lived  on  the  great  plateau  of  Anahuac,  the 
Aztecs,  also  called  Mexicans.  The  latter  name  has 
come  so  generally  to  include  the  inhabitants  of  the 
whole  country,  that  a distinction  must  be  made. 

This  people  was  one  of  those  which  formed  the 
great  family  of  the  Nahuas  ; its  emigration  from  the 
mysterious  regions  of  the  northeast  towards  Ana- 
huac, like  that  of  the  other  tribes  which  recognize 
the  same  traditions,  rests  on  the  same  authority. 
Their  origin  is  no  clearer  than  that  of  the  rest.  It 
seems  certain  that  previous  to  migrating  they  dwelt 
in  a land  far  to  the  northeast  of  Lake  Chapala. 
This  region,  hallowed  in  their  traditions  with  all  the 
memories  and  all  the  attractions  of  a far-off,  long- 
lost  home,  they  called  Aztlan,  and  from  this  name 
were  they  called  Aztecs. 

Why  they  abandoned  this  delightful  home  is  en- 
tirely unknown,  except  to  conjecture  and  the  proba- 
bilities of  human  life  ; the  date  is  equally  uncertain, 
but  to  it  has  been  assigned  the  middle  of  the  seventh 
century,  and  even  the  year  648  of  our  era  is  given. 

The  Aztecs  having  left  their  old  habitations  wan- 


84 


TIIE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


dered  vaguely  off  towards  the  southwest,  guided  by 
the  inspirations  or  indications  of  their  priests.  They 
paused  whole  years  in  different  places,  building  in 
each  houses  and  temples,  of  which  traces  are  still 
found  to  mark  their  path.  They  left  behind  them, 
indeed,  settlements  which  still  exist.  But  the  great 
body  of  these  emigrants  had  not  yet  found  a perma- 
nent resting-place.  They  continued  to  move  on, 
with  intervals  of  pause,  from  generation  to  genera- 
tion, always  impelled  by  the  restlessness  which 
caused  their  first  fathers,  and  the  priests,  their  guides, 
to  leave  Aztlan.  It  was  six  hundred  years  after  the 
date  commonly  given  for  their  exodus  that  the 
Aztecs  came  to  their  final  resting-place  in  1243. 
The  tribe  was  already  called  Mexicas  as  well  as 
Aztec,  because  the  priests  received  an  order  from 
one  of  their  gods,  Mexitli,  that  they  should  receive 
a name  like  his.  From  Mexi  or  Mexicas  was  derived 
the  word  Mexican.  This  name  has  attached  itself, 
not  only  to  the  town  they  founded,  but  to  the 
broad  valley  in  which  it  lies,  and  to  the  whole  coun- 
try stretching  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  ; yet 
when  they  came  there  the  ancient  tribe  of  the  Tol- 
tecs  already  possessed  the  land,  and  farther  south 
the  Mayas  had  attained  a high  degree  of  civiliza- 
tion. They  themselves  were  but  a handful  of  men, 
despised  by  surrounding  races  for  the  customs  of 
their  religion,  even  then  regarded  as  barbarous  and 
horrible  by  the  older  inhabitants.  They  gained  and 
maintained  a foothold  in  the  place  they  had  chosen 
against  many  enemies  and  countless  difficulties, 
triumphed  over  all  these,  and  established  themselves 


ORGAN  CACTUS, 


86 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


so  firmly  as  to  imprint  a name  upon  the  whole 
region. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  broad,  lofty  valley  where 
they  found  themselves  made  so  strong  an  impression 
upon  them  that  they  at  once  decided  to  adopt  it ; 
though  the  exact  spot  they  selected  for  their  capital 
has  been  often  condemned  by  posterity. 

They  saw  a vast  oval  of  more  than  forty  leagues’ 
circumference,  surrounded,  like  an  amphitheatre,  with 
a girdle  of  mountains.  On  the  east  rose  the  two 
proud  volcanoes,  Popocatepetl  and  Iztaccihuatl, 
covered  with  perpetual  snow,  their  sides  clothed 
with  forests.  When  the  Aztecs  came,  one  vast  lake 
occupied  the  basin  of  the  broad  plateau,  too  wide  to 
be  called  a valley,  as  well  as  too  elevated,  for  the  low- 
est part  is  more  than  six  thousand  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea. 

They  saw  a rocky  height  rising  above  the  wet  soil 
near  the  lake,  out  of  which  were  doubtless  even  then 
growing  huge  cypress-trees,  ahuehuetl,  making  a 
dense  and  pleasant  shade  ; a large  spring  of  water 
flowed  constantly  from  the  rock.  Here  they  stopped 
and  named  the  place  Chapultepec,  which  means  the 
Hill  of  the  Grasshopper.  In  the  picture-writings  of 
the  Aztecs  it  is  depicted  as  a small  hill  with  a huge 
grasshopper  standing  all  over  it. 

Here  the  Mexicans,  or  Aztecs,  remained  for  a few 
years,  but  their  place  was  contested  by  the  neighbor- 
ing tribes,  who  also  all  of  them  saw  the  merits  of  the 
site,  and  valued  as  much  as  the  new-comers  the 
spring  of  sparkling  water.  The  Mexicans  made 
themselves  odious  by  their  religious  practices,  and  a 


AZTECS. 


87 


combined  array  of  Chichimecs  and  other  tribes  dis- 
possessed them  of  the  Grasshopper  Hill.  They  be- 
took themselves  to  a group  of  low  islands  in  the 
lake,  and  there  led  a miserable  existence  for  many 
years,  covered  with  rags,  living  on  such  fishes  and 
insects  as  they  could  lay  hold  of  from  the  lake,  and 
dwelling  in  wretched  huts  made  out  of  reeds  and 
rushes.  They  were  nothing  more  than  the  slaves  of 
the  Tepanecs  and  Culhuas,  surrounding  tribes,  and  it 
is  extraordinary  that  from  such  a life  they  roused 
themselves  to  any  thing  better.  In  the  course  of  a 
battle  between  two  of  their  tyrant  tribes,  they,  the 
miserable  slaves,  the  despised  eaters  of  insects,  gave 
such  proof  of  unconquerable  valor  on  the  side  of 
their  masters,  that  these  were  terrified  and  gave  them 
their  liberty.  This  was  nearly  one  hundred  years 
after  they  had  been  driven  from  Chapultepec.  They 
now  shook  off  the  yoke  of  their  oppressors,  gathered 
themselves  together,  and  leaving  the  wretched  island 
where  they  had  languished  so  long,  set  forth  once 
more  in  search  of  a permanent  dwelling-place. 

The  story  has  often  been  told  of  the  way  in  which 
they  fixed  upon  its  position.  The  priests  declared  that 
their  great  god,  Huitzilopochtli,  had  decreed  for  the 
situation  of  their  abiding  city,  a nopal  growing  from 
a rock,  upon  which  should  be  sitting  an  eagle  with  a 
snake  in  his  beak.  The  nopal  is  one  kind  of  cactus. 
When  they  suddenly  came  upon  this  very  combina- 
tion of  objects,  the  priests  declared  it  to  be  the  pre- 
ordained spot,  and  there  they  settled  themselves 
after  all  the  long  wanderings  of  their  race,  far  from 
the  shadowy  Aztlan.  The  situation  is  low,  and  too 


88 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


near  the  lake,  which  in  those  early  days  extended 
much  farther  than  at  present.  It  has  now  been  made 
to  subside,  leaving  much  territory  formerly  under 
water  spread  out  as  barren  marsh-land.  Several  lakes, 
divided  by  low  lands  have  taken  the  place  of  the 
broad  inland  sea  overlooked  by  the  Mexican  capital. 

Here  the  Mexicans  built  their  capital  city,  which 
in  time  grew  to  be  the  centre  of  a great  confederacy. 
They  called  it  Tenochtitlan,  which  means  Place  of 
the  Stone  and  the  Nopal.  Its  name  was  also  Mexico 
early  in  its  history,  from  the  old  god  Huitzilo- 
pochtli,  who  was  also  called  Mexitli. 

Tenochtitlan  covered  about  one  fourth  of  the 
ground  now  occupied  by  the  city  of  Mexico.  Its 
founders  divided  it  into  four  quarters  or  divisions,  to 
which  were  given  the  names  of  Cuepopan,  Atzacu- 
alco,  Moyotla,  and  Zoquipan.  In  the  centre  rose  the 
great  teocalli  dedicated  to  the  god  Huitzilopochtli. 
The  cathedral  of  the  present  city  of  Mexico  stands 
on  the  site  of  this  ancient  temple,  but  not  a trace  of 
the  Aztec  town  is  now  visible.  The  names  of  the 
quarters  above  given  remain  in  those  of  the  suburbs 
of  the  modern  town. 

Little  by  little  smaller  islands  were  united  to  the 
larger  ones  by  means  of  stone-  and  earth-works. 
From  a life  of  misery,  by  industry  and  energy  the 
Mexicans  advanced  their  condition.  They  devoted 
themselves  to  fishing  and  hunting,  and  exchanged 
the  product  of  these  labors  with  the  neighboring 
people  for  wood,  stone  and  such  things  as  they 
wanted. 

Up  to  this  time  they  had  obeyed  their  priests,  or 


AZTECS.  89 

certain  chiefs  who  controlled  them.  The  last  of  these 
was  Tenoch. 

The  rulers  who  followed  have  been  called  kings, 
their  government  a monarchy,  their  homes  palaces, 
their  places  of  worship,  temples.  The  Conquista- 
dores  described  the  civilization  they  found  upon  Ana- 
huac  with  such  wealth  of  words,  that  the  Halls  of  the 


IDOL  IN  TERRA-COTTA. 


Montezumas  have  been  ever  since  the  type  of  all  that 
is  rich  and  magnificent.  Their  realm  was  an  empire, 
their  sway  was  absolute,  their  lives  were  one  of 
luxury  and  ease. 

Later  investigations  take  away  from  the  early 
Aztec  dynasty  all  its  splendors,  one  by  one,  until  the 
poor  Mexican  kings  have  scarcely  a shred  of  regal 
dignity  left  them.  Even  their  warfare  is  reduced  to 


90 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  pitiful  raids  of  one  savage  tribe  against  another, 
their  title  of  Emperor,  no  longer  hereditary,  although, 
it  is  admitted,  kept  in  one  family,  is  reduced  to  that 
of  chief ; their  capital  city  is  a pueblo,  their  palaces 
as  low  buildings  of  adobe,  their  teocallis  are  mounds. 

For  the  sake  of  preserving  the  succession  hitherto 
accepted,  and  to  avoid  confusion  in  the  mind  of  the 
reader,  we  will  continue  the  narration  of  the  kings 
of  Mexico,  as  if  they  still  retained  that  title,  shorn 
as  it  is  of  its  rays. 

Tenoch  died  in  1363,  thirty-eight  years  after  the 
foundation  of  the  city.  As  his  name  forms  part  of 
the  word  Tenochtitlan,  some  authorities  give,  as 
explanation,  that  the  city  was  named  after  the  chief, 
rather  than  for  reason  of  the  nopal,  the  eagle,  and 
the  snake.  But  the  valuable  legend  remains,  and  is 
preserved  on  the  national  banner  of  the  Mexicans 
to-day. 

Mexitzin  succeeded  Tenoch  in  command,  who,  as 
by  this  time  the  people  had  greatly  grown  in  im- 
portance, counselled  them  to  follow  the  example  of 
the  nations  round  about  them,  and  choose  a ruler 
to  rule  over  them,  after  the  manner  of  their  neigh- 
bors, the  Tepanecs,  and  those  of  Texcuco,  across 
the  lake.  The  proposal  was  favorably  accepted,  and 
Acamapichtli  was  made  king — the  first  monarch  of 
the  Mexican  dynasty,  in  Tenochtitlan,  in  1376,  fifty 
years  after  the  foundation  of  the  city.  He  was 
Mexican  upon  his  father’s  side,  Chichimec,  through 
his  mother’s  family.  He  was,  according  to  the  ac- 
count of  his  chroniclers,  one  of  the  most  prudent 
and  illustrious  personages  of  his  time.  He  mar- 


AZTECS. 


91 


ried  a daughter  of  a most  noble  Aculhuan,  and  as 
all  the  monarchs  of  the  valley  practised  polygamy, 
allowed  himself  two  other  wives.  Of  one  of  these 
wives  the  son  Huitzilihuitl  was  the  immediate  suc- 
cessor to  the  throne,  and  his  half-brother,  son  of 
another  wife,  reigned  next,  named  Chimalpopoca. 
A third  son,  born  of  a slave  to  the  king,  lived  to 
reign  in  his  stead  after  the  death  of  the  half-brothers. 
But  the  father  of  these  sons  lived  himself  to  reign 
for  twenty  years,  if  reigning  it  can  be  called,  to 
keep  in  hand  a handful  of  poor  Indians  just  escaping 
from  barbarism  and  degeneration  of  the  lowest  sort. 
Their  one  city  was  but  fifty  years  old.  They  had  no 
capital,  no  resources  beyond  the  toil  of  their  hands 
in  fishing  and  hunting.  They  were  regarded  as  in- 
terlopers by  the  petty  kingdoms  which  surrounded 
them,  and  their  lives  were  made  miserable  by  the 
tyranny  of  any  one  of  their  neighbors  who  felt  him- 
self strong  enough  to  exact  tribute.  Yet  some  great 
vital  force  was  in  them  to  hold  them  together  and 
bring  them  increase. 

Their  belief  in  their  old  god,  Huitzilopochtli,  was 
strong  as  ever;  probably  their  fortunes  rose  and  fell 
with  the  intelligence  or  the  lack  of  it  in  the  priests 
who  transmitted  to  the  people  the  will  of  this  deity. 
Through  them  it  was  decreed  that  the  tribute  de- 
manded by  the  Tepanecs  should  be  paid.  These 
neighbors  were  pacified,  and  the  Mexicans  could  go 
on  unmolested  in  their  work  of  improving  their  city, 
which  they  did  by  building  temples  and  houses,  and 
cutting  canals  through  their  island  that  the  water  of 
the  lake  might  circulate  freely. 


92 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


In  the  next  reign,  Huitzilihuitl,  son  of  the  first 
king,  not  only  followed  but  improved  upon  the  ex- 
ample of  his  father  in  marrying  a daughter  of  some 
rival  monarch.  He  sent  ambassadors  to  various 
courts  asking  the  hand  of  each  princess  in  marriage. 
The  result  was  good.  By  marrying  a daughter  of 
the  king  of  the  Tepanecs  he  relieved  his  people  of 
the  heavy  tribute  they  had  been  forced  to  pay.  His 
other  wife,  Cuauhnahuac,  brought  with  her  the 
knowledge  of  cotton  for  making  wearing  apparel,  for 
the  district  she  came  from  produced  it  in  abundance, 
and  her  people  understood  the  use  of  it.  It  is  due 
to  her,  therefore,  that  the  Mexicans  became  well 
clothed.  Specimens  of  the  wearing  of  their  early 
times  are  preserved  in  the  National  Museum  at 
Mexico.  Her  son  was  the  famous  Motecuhzoma 
llhuicamma,  better  known  to  us  as  Montezuma  I. 
This  king,  who  married  the  Princess  of  Cloth,  greatly 
advanced  his  nation.  He  compiled  laws,  regulated 
religious  ceremonies,  systematized  the  army,  with 
his  brother  at  its  head,  thus  establishing  a custom 
which  was  always  afterwards  followed,  that  a brother 
of  the  monarch  should  be  general-in-chief.  In  his 
day  canoas,  hollowed  from  trunks  of  trees,  were  put 
into  general  use  for  war  as  well  as  for  traffic.  The 
system  thus  introduced  made  his  army  a valuable 
accession  to  his  neighbors  when  they  went  to  battle. 
By  the  service  they  rendered  to  the  Aculhuans  in 
such  a case,  the  Mexicans  gained  a high  reputation 
as  dangerous  warriors.  They  were  still  tributary  to 
the  Tepanecs  of  Atzcapotzalco,  then  in  the  hands  of 
the  tyrant  Maxtla,  whom  careful  readers  will  remem- 


CANAL  OUTSIDE  THE  CITY  OF  MEXICO, 


94 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ber.  This  usurper,  jealous  of  the  growing  power  of 
his  vassal,  and  afraid  of  its  results,  caused  the  death 
of  the  little  son  and  daughter  of  the  Mexican  mon- 
arch. “ The  king,  Huitzilihuitl,”  says  the  authority, 
“ dissimulated  this  cruel  offence,  considering  that 
this  was  no  time  to  expose  his  people  to  open  war 
with  the  Tepanecs,  thus  giving  proof  of  a patriotism 
equal  to  personal  sacrifice.” 

This  was  however  not  the  end  of  the  matter  for 
after  the  death  of  his  father,  Chimalpopoca,  who 
reigned  in  his  stead  became  implicated  in  a con- 
spiracy against  Maxtla.  It  was  discovered,  and  the 
punishment  that  the  young  king  had  to  endure  was  to 
assume  certain  garments  of  the  style  worn  by  women 
sent  him  by  Maxtla,  as  signs  of  effeminacy  and  cow- 
ardice, while  Maxtla  carried  off  and  took  to  himself 
one  of  his  wives.  Chimalpopoca,  waited  to  avenge 
these  insults,  and  life  being  insupportable  to  him, 
resolved  to  sacrifice  himself  to  the  great  god  of  his 
fathers,  Huitzilopochtli ; but  Maxtla  anticipated  his 
intention,  and  seizing  him,  shut  him  up  in  a wooden 
case,  such  as  was  used  for.  common  criminals.  The 
Mexican  king,  however,  succeeded  in  his  intent,  by 
hanging  himself  from  a bar  of  his  disgraceful  prison. 

This  chief  had  reigned  but  ten  years ; during  this 
time  he  had  an  aqueduct  constructed  to  bring  clear 
water  from  Chapultepec  to  the  city,  and  built  a fine 
calzada,  or  paved  road,  to  make  direct  communica- 
tion between  Tenochtitlan  and  Tlacopan. 

This  was  the  period  of  the  usurpation  of  Tezozo- 
moc,  king  of  Atzcapotzalco,  who  wrested  the 
throne  of  the  Chichimecs  from  Ixtlilxochitl,  and 


AZTECS. 


95 


killed  this  brave  but  unfortunate  prince.  Maxtla, 
the  tyrant,  was  the  son  and  heir  of  Tezozomoc,  and 
as  we  have  seen  he  poured  his  wrath  upon  Nezahu 
alcoyotl,  the  legitimate  heir  to  the  throne  of  the 
Chichimecs,  the  monarchy  of  Texcuco  or  Aculhua- 
can. 


X. 

MEXICANS. 

AFTER  the  death  in  prison  of  their  king  Chimalpo- 
poca,  the  Mexicans  did  not  hesitate  to  elect  as  his 
successor,  Itzcoatl,  the  third  son  of  their  first  sov- 
ereign, brother  to  their  last,  and  general-in-chief  of 
their  armies,  in  which  capacity  he  had  shown  him- 
self of  great  force  and  valor. 

When  Maxtla  heard  of  this  he  was  full  of  wrath, 
having  vainly  imagined  that  the  murder  of  the  late 
king’s  children  would  have  put  an  end  to  that  line 
forever.  He  immediately  began  to  make  prepara- 
tions to  destroy  utterly  the  Mexicans,  still  nominally 
his  vassals. 

Itzcoatl  at  once  sent  messengers  to  Nezahual- 
coyotl,  the  rightful  heir  of  the  Texcucans,  proposing 
an  alliance  for  the  overthrow  of  the  tyrant.  Neza- 
hualcoyotl,  as  we  have  seen,  had  already  recovered  a 
part  of  his  inheritance,  and  feeling  himself  strong 
enough  for  the  effort,  he  accepted  the  proposals  of 
the  Mexican  sovereign. 

Maxtla,  to  anticipate  this  step,  sent  open  com- 
mands to  his  vassals,  the  Mexicans,  that  they  should 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  join  his  whole  army 
in  an  attack  upon  Texcuco,  since,  as  he  announced, 

96 


MEXICANS. 


97 


he  was  determined  now  to  possess  himself  of  the 
whole  of  the  ancient  kingdom  of  the  Chichimecs. 

The  chronicles  say  that  the  Mexicans  were  greatly 
terrified,  so  intense  was  the  terror  inspired  by  Maxtla 
and  his  cruel  warriors.  The  people  burst  into  tears 
and  lamentations  at  being  forced  into  so  unwelcome 
a war. 

Itzcoatl,  with  the  greatest  skill,  calmed  their  agita- 
tion, and  summoned  them  to  another  combat,  which 
should  decide  the  fate  of  the  still  youthful  monarchy 
of  the  Mexicans. 

A great  battle  was  fought  against  the  Tepanecs 
with  Maxtla  at  their  head.  Opposite  him  were  ar- 
ranged the  united  forces  of  the  Mexicans,  the  Chi- 
chimecs, and  their  allies,  of  the  neighboring  little 
state  of  Tlatelolco,  as  well  as  a great  body  of  auxil- 
iary troops,  which  ranged  themselves  on  the  side  of 
justice  and  against  the  terrible  tyrant.  The  allied 
army  sallied  forth  to  the  encounter,  but  was  driven 
back,  and  the  city  of  Tenochtitlan  was  about  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  Maxtla,  when  the  three  chiefs, 
Nezahualcoyotl,  Itzcoatl  and  Motecuhzoma,  fol- 
lowed by  their  bravest  warriors,  plunged  into  the 
thickest  of  the  fray,  and  by  the  fury  of  their  attack 
caused  the  Tepanecs  to  flee  with  all  haste. 

The  battle  was  continued  the  next  day,  victory 
declaring  itself  for  the  allies,  who  pursued  the  Te- 
panecs even  into  their  own  capital  Atzcapotzalco, 
where  they  set  fire  to  the  houses,  sacking  them  first, 
and  killing  the  inhabitants.  The  king  Maxtla 
himself  fell  under  the  stroke  of  Nezahualcoyotl, 
who  thus  avenged  the  murder  of  his  father.  The 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


9S 

taking  of  the  capital  city  was  the  end  of  the  king- 
dom of  the  Tepanecs.  This  t >ok  place  in  1428. 

By  the  downfall  of  this  monarchy,  Nezahualcoyotl 
was  reinstated  upon  the  throne  of  his  ancestors,  at 
Texcuco,  henceforth  called  the  kingdom  of  Acolhua- 
can  ; a small  new  kingdom  arose,  upon  the  ruins  of 
the  old,  called  that  of  the  Tepanecs  of  Tlacopan  ; 
these  two  formed  with  the  Mexicans  a triple  alliance 
which  lasted  for  more  than  a century. 

This  alliance  is  called  that  of  the  “ Valley  Confed- 
erates,” who  by  their  united  strength  could  crush 
the  surrounding  isolated  tribes  with  perfect  success. 

Itzcoatl  died  in  1440,  much  lamented  by  his  peo- 
ple. His  obsequies  were  performed  with  great  so- 
lemnity. He  was  justly  celebrated  for  his  great  gifts, 
and  the  services  he  rendered  his  country.  An  old 
author  says  of  him  that  he  was  “a  man  so  excellent 
that  there  is  no  language  sufficient  for  his  praises.” 

On  the  death  of  this  ruler,  the  Mexicans  again 
came  together  to  choose  a king,  and  unanimously 
selected  Motecuhzoma  Ilhuicamina,  brother  of  the 
late  king,  and  son  of  the  first  one.  His  election 
was  received  with  enthusiasm,  because  he  was  a 
great  general,  who  had  filled  the  minds  of  the  peo- 
ple with  his  brilliant  deeds  in  emancipating  them 
from  the  tyrant  control  of  the  Tepanecs. 

Under  this  king  the  fortunes  of  the  Mexicans 
reached  their  height.  He  was  a great  warrior,  and 
by  force  of  arms  he  subdued  many  surrounding 
tribes,  and  extended  the  power  of  his  kingdom.  He 
was  an  intense  fanatic  in  religion,  and  a true  despot, 
and  carried  his  convictions  to  an  extreme  which, 


MEXICANS.  99 

while  it  extended  his  power,  alienated  the  other 
peoples  of  Anahuac,  so  that  in  the  dark  days  of  the 
future,  they  were  ready  rather  to  be  against  the  Mex- 
icans than  for  them. 

His  first  act,  having  resolved  to  erect  a great  tem 
pie  to  the  god  Huitzilopochtli,  in  gratitude  for  tlw 
success  of  the  recent  conflicts,  was  to  send  message, 
to  all  the  country  round  about,  summoning  the 
neighbors  to  come  and  lend  their  aid  in  bringing 
the  great  work  to  an  end.  All  obeyed  with  alacrity, 
except  the  Chalcas,  a little  tribe  upon  the  lake,  who 
entirely  refused  to  contribute  aid.  The  king  in- 
stantly made  war  upon  these  people,  and  after 
bloody  contests  took  possession  of  Amecameca, 
their  capital,  an  ancient  town  at  the  very  base  of  the 
volcanoes.  Other  towns  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Mexicans.  Meanwhile,  the  influence  of  the  Tex- 
cucan  court,  aided  by  the  natural  development 
that  comes  with  success,  had  much  advanced  the 
Aztec  from  the  pitiful  state  of  squalor  in  which  his 
race  made  their  entrance  into  the  Valley  of 
Anahuac  only  a century  before.  Without  be- 
lieving the  exaggerated  accounts  of  the  Spaniards 
describing  the  splendors  they  found  in  Mexico,  we 
may  at  least  allow  the  Aztecs  a degree  of  intelligence 
and  cultivation  on  a level  with  the  civilization  of 
their  time. 

In  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  the  Mexi- 
cans suffered  from  an  infliction  which  has  since  many 
a time  caused  trouble  to  their  capital.  Abundant 
rains  so  swelled  the  lake  that  the  city  was  inundated, 
many  buildings  destroyed,  and  inhabitants  drowned. 


100 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  king  of  Texcuco  advised  the  building  of  a great 
dike,  so  thick  and  strong  as  to  keep  out  the  water. 
The  next  year  the  chronicles  relate  that  a heavy 
snow  fell  for  six  days  and  nights,  destroying  all  vege- 
tation, and  a great  number  of  human  beings  and 
animals.  The  loss  of  crops  for  these  years  caused 
such  a famine,  that  in  spite  of  the  great  liberality  of 
the  king  and  his  grandees,  many  people  emigrated 
to  the  south. 

These  disasters  furnish  but  a poor  excuse  for  the 
human  sacrifice  with  which  the  Aztecs  sought  to 
appease  the  wrath  of  their  god.  The  Mexican  king 
used  to  sally  forth  at  fixed  intervals  to  battle  with 
the  sole  object  of  seizing  prisoners  for  sacrifice,  with- 
out laying  any  claim  to  lands  or  kingdoms.  He  ex- 
tended these  raids  as  far  as  the  valley  of  Tlaxcalla, 
and  the  neighboring  city  of  Cholula,  carrying  off 
victims,  but  leaving  the  government  of  these  prov- 
inces as  he  found  them.  This  explains  the  cause  of 
the  continued  independence  of  these  provinces,  in 
spite  of  their  constant  warfare  with  Mexico,  and 
also  shows  what  reason  these  people  had  for  hating 
a neighbor  who  made  himself  so  disagreeable.  Mote- 
cuhzoma  made  the  power  of  his  arm  felt  even  to  the 
shores  of  the  Gulf,  and  enlarged  his  territory  in  all 
directions.  He  framed  a code  for  repressing  crime, 
made  laws  regulating  the  dress  and  ornaments  of  his 
subjects,  invented  any  number  of  new  religious  rites 
and  sacrifices  hitherto  unheard  of,  built  many  temples, 
and  strove  to  establish  the  principles  of  his  religion 
throughout  Anahuac.  Thus  the  poor  and  miserable 
little  tribe  of  a century  before,  at  the  death  of  Mote- 


MEXICANS . 


IOI 


cuhzoma  Ilhuicamina  had  greatly  gained  in  strength 
and  extent. 

Three  sovereigns  followed  Motecuhzoma,  in  due 
course,  and  in  practice  of  the  same  methods  of  gov- 
ernment. They  extended  their  depredations  all  over 
the  country,  sometimes  meeting  with  resistance,  as 
in  the  case  of  Michoacan,  in  1479,  when  the  Mexi- 
cans were  utterly  routed  by  the  Tarascos  in  a bloody 
battle  which  lasted  two  days.  The  king  at  that  time 
was  Axayacatl,  who  died  soon  after  his  disastrous 
defeat.  He  left  two  sons  destined  to  play  a part  in 
the  last  scene  of  the  history  of  Mexican  monarchy — 
Motecuhzoma  the  Second  and  Cuitlahuac. 

The  immediate  successor  of  Axayacatl  was  his 
brother,  Tizoc,  who,  as  was  the  custom,  left  the 
position  of  general-in-chief  to  become  king.  He  was 
a brave  warrior,  stern  and  uncompromising  in  char- 
acter, zealous  in  gathering  victims  to  sacrifice  to  his 
gods. 

In  the  museum  of  Mexico  is  a monument  which 
preserves  the  name  and  deeds  of  this  great  warrior 
king.  It  is  a large  carved  stone,  which  was  found  in 
the  course  of  excavation  for  a sewer,  almost  a hun- 
dred years  ago  in  the  principal  plaza  of  the  city  of 
Mexico.  It  is  called  the  Cuauhxicalli  of  Tizoc,  which 
means  the  Drinking  cup  of  the  Eagle.  On  its  upper 
face  is  carved  an  image  of  the  sun.  On  the  carved 
sides  are  fifteen  groups,  each  group  of  two  persons, 
the  conquering  warrior  grasping  by  the  hair  a prisoner. 
The  warrior  is  in  each  the  same  figure  repeated.  The 
fifteen  prisoners  represent  fifteen  conquered  tribes. 
The  conqueror  is  Tizoc,  seventh  king  of  Mexico, who 


102 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


occupied  the  throne  from  1481  to  i486.  There  is  a 
theory  that  these  carvings  have  a further  allegorical 
meaning.  The  evening  star  and  the  moon  are  rep- 
resented as  two  warriors  engaged  in  a struggle,  in 
which  the  former  makes  the  attack,  and  the  latter 
defends  himself.  Tizoc  is  intended  by  the  morning 
star,  and  the  moon  represents  the  conquered  nations. 
The  evening  star  wears  the  sacred  mask  ; the  part  of 
his  face  left  uncovered,  as  well  as  his  hands  and  feet, 
are  smeared  with  a black  ointment  peculiar  to  priests 
and  gods.  His  body  is  covered  with  a tiger  skin, 
which  is  always  an  attribute  with  the  natives  of  the 
morning  star,  which  draws  captive  after  it  all  the 
other  stars,  so  that  the  sky  spotted  with  light  seemed 
to  them  typified  by  the  spotted  skin  of  the  tiger. 
The  warrior  has  in  one  hand  a sword  of  obsidian, 
and  in  the  other  a shield  bearing  the  symbols  of  the 
planet.  The  face  and  garments  of  the  vanquished 
warrior  are  white  like  the  rays  of  the  moon.  His  feet 
are  bound,  but  in  one  hand  he  holds  high  his  sword  of 
obsidian,  while  the  other  grasps  the  standard  and 
mirror  of  the  moon. 

The  use  to  which  the  stone  was  applied  by  Tizoc 
was  less  purely  fanciful.  In  his  time,  among  the 
Aztecs,  there  existed  an  order  of  nobles  whose  title 
was  the  eagles.  The  sun  was  their  patron  saint. 
During  certain  ceremonies  they  sacrificed  to  the  sun 
a human  victim,  upon  this  stone,  the  drinking-cup 
of  the  Eagles.  This  victim  was  chosen  from  the 
prisoners  taken  in  war.  He  was  brought  forward,  at 
the  ;ound  of  music,  surrounded  by  illustrious  noble- 
men. His  legs  were  painted  with  red  and  white 


STONE  OF  TIZOC. 


104 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


stripes,  and  half  his  face  was  painted  red  ; a white 
plume  was  stuck  in  his  hair.  In  one  hand  he  carried 
a walking-stick,  gay  with  ribbons  and  plumes  ; in 
the  other,  a shield  covered  with  cotton.  His  thighs 
were  bound  round  with  little  bundles  containing 
gifts.  He  was  led  to  the  bottom  of  the  grand  stair- 
case of  the  temple  and  thus  addressed  : 

“ Sir,  what  we  desire  is  that  thou  goest  before  our 
god,  the  sun,  to  salute  him  for  us.  Tell  him  that  his 
sons  and  chief  gentlemen  here  supplicate  him  to 
remember  them,  hoping  he  will  accept  the  small 
recuerdo  we  send  him.  Give  him  the  walking-stick, 
the  shield,  and  the  other  things  in  the  little  bundle.” 

The  victim  then  went  slowly  up  the  steps,  receiv- 
ing fresh  instructions  as  to  what  he  should  say  to 
the  sun.  At  the  top  was  the  drinking-cup,  and  tow- 
ards this  he  advanced.  In  a loud  voice,  addressing 
at  once  the  real  sun  and  its  image  carved  upon  the 
stone,  he  delivered  the  message  just  given  him. 
Then  came  four  attendants,  who  seized  him  by  hands 
and  feet,  and  having  taken  away  the  cane,  the  shield, 
and  little  bundles,  they  ascended  with  him  the 
four  steps  of  the  stone,  where  the  high-priest  cut  his 
throat,  commanding  him  thus  to  go  with  his  mes- 
sage to  the  real  sun  in  the  other  life.  The  blood 
flowed  down  the  basin  in  the  stone  through  a canal 
to  the  side  where  the  image  of  the  sun  was  carved, 
so  that  this  was  quenched  with  blood.  Meantime, 
the  sacrificador  opened  the  breast  of  the  victim  and 
plucked  out  the  heart,  holding  it  aloft  until  it  be- 
came cold,  thereby  offering  it  to  the  sun.  Thus 
went  on  his  way  the  luckless  messenger. 


MEXICANS. 


!05 


Tizoc  began  the  construction  of  a great  temple  in 
honor  of  Huitzilopochtli,  a superb  edifice,  according 
to  the  chronicles,  the  most  lofty  in  the  city,  cover- 
ing all  the  site  of  the  present  cathedral,  and  moreover 
extending  over  much  of  the  ground  now  occupied 
by  the  Plaza  Mayor.  Tizoc  was  poisoned,  at  the  in- 
stigation of  some  neighboring  kings,  by  women  who 
brought  him  a fatal  drink.  He  died  suddenly,  after 
a brief  reign  of  four  years. 

Ahuitzotl,  his  brother  and  successor,  hastened  to 
bring  the  great  teocalli  to  completion,  and  its  dedi- 
cation was  the  occasion  of  a great  feast  and  cele- 
bration. Kings  and  caciques  of  the  allied  people 
came,  bringing  rich  offerings  to  the  Mexican  mon- 
arch, who  displayed  the  greatest  magnificence  in 
receiving  his  guests.  The  chief  feature  of  the  occa- 
sion was  the  great  slaughter  of  four  days  of  victims 
made  prisoners  of  war  on  purpose  for  the  sacrifice 
to  the  god  to  whom  the  temple  was  reared. 

Ahuitzotl  was  troubled  with  inundations  of  the 
lake,  and  by  the  advice  of  Nezahualpilli  the  Wise, 
he  caused  huge  dikes  to  be  constructed,  which  averted 
the  danger.  The  monarch  himself  was  overtaken 
by  water  bursting  into  one  of  the  lower  chambers 
of  his  palace.  As  he  rushed  suddenly  out  of  the 
room  to  avoid  the  flood,  he  received  a blow  on  the 
head  by  striking  a beam,  which  caused  his  death  a 
few  years  after. 

This  monarch  was  passionately  devoted  to  war, 
and  by  his  conquests  he  extended  widely  the  domin- 
ions of  the  crown.  He  was  violent,  vengeful,  and 
cruel,  the  terror  of  the  people  he  conquered,  jealous 


io6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


to  preserve  untouched  his  authority,  pitiless  in  exact- 
ing tribute  and  collecting  taxes  ; in  a word,  a des- 
pot, holding  absolute  control  over  the  lives  and 
actions  of  his  subjects.  In  compensation  for  these 
unattractive  characteristics  his  historians  give  him 
credit  for  greatly  embellishing  his  capital  city.  He 
was  fond  of  music,  liberal  to  the  needy,  and  gener- 
ous to  such  soldiers  as  distinguished  themselves  in 
his  wars. 

At  the  death  of  Ahuitzotl  the  kingdom  ruled  of 
his  ancestors  had  reached  the  height  of  its  extent, 
splendor,  and  power.  On  the  north,  its  frontier  ex- 
tended to  the  2 ist  degree  of  latitude.  On  the  east, 
with  the  exception  of  the  kingdom  of  Texcuco,  and 
the  independent  tribes  of  Cholula,  Tlaxcalla,  and 
Huexotzinco,  it  reached  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  includ- 
ing all  the  shore,  from  the  semi-independent  Cuexte- 
cas  to  the  border  of  the  Coatzacoalco  River.  On  the 

southeast  the  kingdom  extended  to  Xoconochco 
towards  the  south  its  boundry  touched  Mexcalla,  and 
on  the  west  its  barrier  was  the  haughty  kingdom  of 
Michoacan,  against  which  the  armies  of  the  Mexi- 
cans fought  always  in  vain. 

Such  a point  of  power  had  reached  the  Aztec  tiibe 
in  the  course  of  one  hundred  years.  From  their 
small  beginning  as  a handful  of  hunted  creatures, 
hiding  in  the  rushes  of  a swamp,  they  had  grown  to 
be  an^all-powerful  nation,  carrying  a triumphant  war- 
fare throughout  the  land,  and  enlarging  their  boun- 
daries with  every  triumph.  The  shocking  features  of 
their  sanguinary  religion  make  them  odious  to  our 
minds.  It  is  difficult  to  accommodate  it  to  the  gentle 


SCULPTURE  REPRESENTING  HUMAN  SACRIFICE, 


io8 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


traits  of  the  Aztec  character,  which  shows  them  to  be 
of  domestic  tastes,  affectionate  and  mild  in  temper. 
Such  a stain  upon  the  nation  is  only  to  be  explained, 
not  excused,  by  the  power  of  religious  fanaticism. 
Other  religions  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  were 
exercising  a control  as  arbitrary,  with  results  the 
same  in  quality  though  not  in  degree.  In  1480,  in 
Spain,  the  Holy  Inquisition  was  established  against 
apostates,  that  is,  persons  converted  from  any  other 
religion  to  that  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  who, 
after  baptism,  reverted  to  Judaism  or  the  faith  of 
Islam.  The  tribunal  of  Seville,  alone,  between  1480 
and  1520,  consigned  four  thousand  victims  to  the 
flames. 

Louis  XI.  of  France  wore  little  images  of  saints 
and  angels  in  his  cap,  while  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
shut  up  his  enemies  for  life  in  a wooden  cage.  As 
his  death  drew  near  in  1483,  he  shuddered  at  the 
thought  of  the  victims,  more  than  five  thousand, 
whom  he  had  caused  to  be  put  to  death,  for  his  own 
ends,  without  the  plea  of  religious  ardor. 

Richard  III.,  in  England,  during  a short  reign 
of  two  years  from  1483  to  1485,  not  only  murdered 
his  young  nephews,  but  put  to  death  his  brother,  the 
Duke  of  Clarence,  Lord  Hastings,  Jane  Shore,  and 
his  own  friend  and  ally  the  Duke  of  Buckingham. 

It  is  of  course  idle  to  compare  the  civilization  of 
the  two  continents  at  that  period  ; widely  separated 
as  they  were,  and  each  ignorant  of  the  very  existence 
of  the  other.  European  society  emerged  from  the 
barbarism  of  the  dark  ages  was,  according  to  its  in- 
terpretation of  them,  based  upon  the  teachings  of  the 


MEXICANS. 


109 


faith  of  Christ.  No  such  advantages,  as  yet,  had 
reached  the  plateau  of  Anahuac.  The  most  elevat- 
ing influence  shed  over  its  people  was  from  the  tra- 
ditional Quetzalcoatl,  whose  teachings  of  mild  and 
gentle  manners  left  a deep  and  prevading  impression. 
Otherwise,  the  struggle  for  life,  rude  contact  with  the 
lower  instincts  of  the  less  developed  with  the  better 
informed,  gave  an  always  downward  tendency  to  the 
institutions  of  their  society. 

It  is  all  very  obscure,  now  more  than  ever,  be- 
cause new  information  is  disturbing  the  accepted 
theory  of  Aztec  culture  given  by  writers  of  Mexican 
history  up  to  nearly  the  present  time.  For  a true 
knowledge  of  early  life  in  Mexico,  we  must  wait  till 
explorers  and  archaeologists  have  fully  established 
their  discoveries  by  facts.  Such  an  exposition, 
which  is  pretty  sure  to  come,  will  be  of  great 
importance  to  those  interested  in  the  future,  as  well 
as  the  past,  of  the  native  races  of  Mexico. 

Meanwhile,  in  a book  like  this,  which  is  permitted 
to  gather  up  legend  as  well  as  fact,  in  order  to  pre- 
sent the  attractive,  even  romantic,  side  of  its  subject, 
it  would  be  a pity  to  wholly  set  aside  the  accounts 
of  the  Aztecs,  as  they  have  hitherto  been  given  in 
current  history,  as  worthless  and  superseded.  This 
would  be  to  leave  a gap  at  the  very  beginning  of 
authentic  story,  to  take  away  the  lowest  step  of  the 
ladder  we  wish  to  climb.  If  the  “ Last  of  the  Mon- 
tezumas  ” is  to  be  reduced  to  a chieftain  of  a seden- 
tary tribe,  we,  in  this  story  of  Mexico,  may  regard 
him  as  one  once  invested  with  the  glories  of  an  em- 
pire. Our  chief  object  in  examining  the  early  periods 


I IO 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


written  of  in  the  preceding  chapters,  is  to  gather 
clear  impressions  of  the  character  of  the  people  we 
are  reading  about.  For  this  end  it  is  of  vast  import- 
ance to  know  whether  the  native  races  now  forming 
a large  part  of  the  population  of  Mexico,  are  de- 
scended from  a cultivated  line  of  kings,  or  whether 
they  merely  inherit  the  manners  and  customs  of 
illiterate  tribes.  The  reader  must  for  himself  create 
from  the  stories  drawn  from  Spanish  accounts,  and 
evidences  given  by  picture-writings,  and  the  descrip- 
tion of  monuments  and  ruins,  his  own  idea  of  the 
Aztec  character,  giving  due  weight  to  the  substance 
of  the  legends  about  Mexican  greatness,  while  he 
brushes  off  with  modern  ruthlessness  the  cobwebs 
which  obscure  the  truth  of  the  story,  however 
brightly  they  may  sparkle,  and  adorn  the  tale. 


XI. 

AZTEC  CHARACTER. 

It  is  impossible  with  our  present  knowledge  to 
form  an  estimate  of  the  civilization  of  the  Aztecs  at 
their  highest  point.  The  reports  given  by  the 
Spaniards  at  the  time  of  the  conquests  are  not  to  be 
relied  upon,  as  they  paint  in  the  exaggerated  colors 
they  thought  most  likely  to  give  glory  to  their  own 
achievements.  Unfortunately  they  felt  called  upon 
to  destroy  most  of  the  picture-writings  they  found, 
which  would  have  been  as  valuable  in  forming  an 
opinion  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  race  they 
depicted,  as  the  volumes  we  find  in  European  libra- 
ries are  to  enlighten  us  upon  the  manners  and 
customs  of  contemporary  races  in  Europe. 

The  Aztecs  knew  no  alphabet,  but  instead  of 
letters  they  used  certain  signs  or  hieroglyphics  by 
which  they  wrote  on  every  subject — religion,  history, 
geography,  poetry,  feasts,  famines,  wars,  and  the 
arts  of  peace.  This  fashion  of  writing  was  handed 
down  from  father  to  son,  and  taught  in  colleges  or 
by  the  priests.  The  artists  who  executed  the  manu- 
scripts were  treated  with  general  consideration,  and 
the  sovereign  even  paid  them  honor.  They  worked 
on  paper  made  of  the  fibre  of  the  maguey,  or  on 

11 W 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


112 

linen  cloth,  with  a sort  of  pen  like  the  stylus  of  the 
Romans.  The  colors  were  procured  from  vegetable 
dyes,  in  general.  They  had  little  variety  of  tint,  but 
were  vivid  and  permanent. 

These  paintings,  of  which  several  of  the  small 
remnant  in  existence  of  the  great  quantity  destroyed 
by  the  Conquistadores  are  in  the  museum  at  Mex- 
ico, are  extremely  interesting,  both  as  works  of  art 
from  a point  of  view  entirely  different  from  our 
European  prejudices,  and  also  as  recording  events 
with  wonderful  simplicity  and  directness. 

The  one  called  the  Wanderings  of  the  Aztecs,  is 
absolutely  authentic,  and  is  wholly  interpreted.  It 
is  forty-eight  feet  long  and  nine  inches  wide  done 
on  maguey  paper,  all  in  black,  with  no  other  colors, 
except  that  the  line  of  travel  is  marked  in  red. 
This  painting  gives  the  route  of  the  Aztecs,  from 
their  departure  from  Aztlan  until  their  arrival  in  the 
valley  of  Mexico.  On  an  island,  in  the  land  of 
Aztlan,  stands  a teocalli,  like  the  temples  of  worship 
in  Mexico.  The  chronology  year  by  year  is  given, 
and  the  various  halts  made  by  the  wanderers,  with 
the  principal  events  that  befell  them.  A short  piece 
at  the  end  is  torn  off  and  missing,  which  probably 
depicted  the  founding  of  Tenochtitlan. 

Another  painting  depicts  a range  of  mountains 
among  which  is  one  pouring  forth  smoke  from  its 
summit.  On  the  left  is  a city  entirely  surrounded 
by  water,  with  the  cactus  growing  on  the  rock,  which 
always  signifies  Tenochtitlan.  The  mountain  doubt- 
less in  Popocatepetl,  which  by  its  name  signifies 
Hill  that  gives  Smoke.  Another  painting  gives 


1 13  COURT  OF  THE  MUSEUM  AT  MEXICO, 


1 14  THE  story  OF  MEXICO. 

the  chronology  of  the  kings  of  Mexico  and  Tex- 
cuco  ; it  is  long,  stretching  half  across  the  large 
room  of  the  museum  in  which  it  is  exhibited. 

If  we  only  had  more  of  these  paintings,  the  daily 
life  of  the  Aztecs  would  be  before  us,  just  as  we  can 
read  on  the  Egyptian  monuments  every  detail  of 
such  remote  living. 

In  the  usual  accounts  of  the  religion  of  the  Az- 
tecs, more  stress  is  laid  upon  the  horror  of  their 
human  sacrifice  than  upon  its  other  features,  which, 
however,  deserve  notice.  They  firmly  believed  in  a 
future  life.  While  some  of  the  Nahuatl  races  im- 
agined that  after  death  the  common  people  would 
be  transformed  into  insects,  the  chiefs  into  birds,  the 
Aztecs  conceived  of  graduated  stages  of  happiness  for 
mankind.  Warriors  slain  in  battle  were  immediately 
to  dwell  in  the  house  of  the  sun  ; less  distinguished 
souls  went  to  live  in  the  various  planets.  But  these 
starry  houses  were  only  temporary.  For  four  years 
after  the  death  of  a relative  the  friends  offered  meat, 
wines,  flowers,  and  perfumes  to  the  dead  in  certain 
months  of  the  year,  one  of  which  was  dedicated  to 
dead  children,  and  the  other  to  warriors  killed  in 
battle. 

When  a chief  died  among  the  Aztecs  great  care 
was  taken  in  ornamenting  the  body,  as  if  preparing 
it  for  a long  journey.  Several  papers  are  presented 
to  the  corpse  : one  as  a passport  across  the  defile  be- 
tween the  two  mountains;  one  with  which  to  avoid 
the  great  serpent ; the  third  was  to  put  to  flight  the 
alligator  ; the  fourth  would  give  a safe  crossing  over 
the  eight  great  deserts  and  the  eight  hills.  A little 


AZTEC  CHARACTER. 


red-haired  dog  was  killed,  a leash  put  about  his 
neck,  and  he  was  buried  near  the  corpse.  Always 
the  little  dog,  for  rich  or  poor,  warrior  or  slave,  to 
guide  his  master  across  the  nine  great  torrents  which 
every  departed  soul  must  encounter. 

Domestic  life,  we  may  infer,  was  happy  with  the 
Aztecs.  Every  man  was  bound  to  marry  when  he 
reached  the  age  of  twenty  years.  Polygamy  was 
not  forbidden  ; a man  could  have  as  many  wives  as 
he  could  afford  to  support.  There  were  no  patro- 
nymic names.  Mothers  chose  names  for  their  chil- 
dren as  soon  as  they  were  born  ; these  names  were 
generally  connected  with  the  month  in  which  the 
child  was  born,  or  some  circumstance  connected  with 
the  event.  When  each  boy  grew  up,  he  was  given 
a name  by  the  medicine  man,  and  by  an  act  of  espe- 
cial bravery  he  might  gain  a third  name. 

The  laws  against  stealing  and  other  crimes  were 
strictly  enforced,  although  unwritten,  the  penalties 
probably  assigned  in  accordance  with  ancient  cus- 
toms. 

The  Aztecs  were  essentially  musical,  as  their  de- 
scendants are  now.  Their  songs  and  hymns  trans- 
mitted the  traditions  of  their  race,  and  are  carefully 
taught  in  the  schools.  They  had  a sort  of  theatrical 
exhibition,  in  which  the  faces  of  the  actors  were  hid 
with  masks  representing  birds  or  animals. 

The  relic  which  gives  the  best  testimony  of  the 
mental  powers  of  the  Aztecs  is  their  calendar,  pre- 
served for  centuries  from  destruction,  and  now  built 
into  the  cathedral  of  the  city  of  Mexico.  It  was 
carved  in  the  year  1512  A.D.,  and  brought  to  the 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


1 1 6 

ancient  Tenochtitlan  from  the  spot  where  it  was 
made.  When  it  had  nearly  reached  its  destination, 
it  broke  down  the  floating  bridge  on  which  it  was 
loaded,  and  was  precipitated  into  the  lake.  The 
priest  superintending  the  moving,  and  many  of  his 
assistants,  were  drowned,  but  it  was  raised  with  great 
difficulty  from  the  water,  and  brought  to  the  great 
temple  located  by  Tizoc  and  Ahuitzotl,  where  it  was 
inaugurated  with  human  sacrifices. 

Not  many  years  later  this  temple,  like  many 
others,  was  destroyed,  and  the  huge  calendar  with 
other  objects  of  heathen  worship  were  buried  in  the 
surrounding  marshes  as  the  best  way  to  get  rid  of 
them,  by  the  order  of  the  Christian  priests.  It  lay 
hidden  for  two  centuries,  until  the  17th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1790,  when  the  grade  of  the  pavement  in  front 
of  the  cathedral  was  lowered,  and  it  came  to  light. 
The  Spanish  Viceroy  then  controlling  Mexican  affairs 
allowed  the  commissioners  of  the  cathedral  to  build 
it  into  their  sacred  edifice,  on  condition  that  it  should 
be  always  preserved  and  exposed  in  a public  place. 
It  is  now,  however,  considered  as  the  property  of 
the  National  Museum. 

This  zodiac  or  calendar  is  twelve  feet  in  diameter, 
made  of  a piece  of  basalt  of  immense  weight.  It 
gives  a clear  exposition  of  the  division  of  time  un- 
derstood by  the  Aztecs,  into  cycles,  years,  and  days. 
Fifty-two  years  constituted  a cycle,  the  year  had 
three  hundred  and  sixty-five  days,  with  five  very  un- 
lucky intercalary  days,  wholly  devoted  to  human 
sacrifice.  Each  year  had  eighteen  months  of  twenty 
days  each,  and  these  months  four  weeks  of  five  days 


AZTEC  CHARACTER. 


II/ 


each.  The  days  had  delightful  names,  such  as  “Sea 
Animal,”  “Small  Bird,”  “Monkey,”  “Rain,”;  not 
recurring  every  week,  but  different  for  the  twenty 
different  days  of  the  month.  The  cardinal  points 
were  named  “ Reed,”  “ House,”  “ Flint,”  “ Rabbit,” 
for  east,  west,  north,  and  south.  Thus  an  Aztec 
might  say,  “ I am  going  House  on  Sea-Animal,” 
which  would  merely  mean  that  he  was  starting  for 
the  west  on  Monday.  The  months  likewise  had  de- 
scriptive names  : thus  the  third  month,  which  might 
correspond  to  our  March,  was  called  “ Victims  flayed 
alive,”  while  the  more  agreeable  title  for  the  sixth 
month,  which  we  call  July,  was  “Garlands  of  corn 
on  the  necks  of  idols.”  As  their  writing  was  by  pic- 
tures instead  of  by  combinations  of  letters  selected 
from  an  alphabet,  they  could  give  a long  name  in 
brief  space  with  a few  adroit  turns  of  their  writing 
instrument. 

The  Mexican  archaeologist,  Leony  Gama,  considers 
the  stone  not  only  to  be  a calendar,  but  a solar  clock, 
which  by  means  of  shadows  cast  in  a certain  manner 
gave  eight  intervals  of  the  day  between  the  rising 
and  setting  sun.  He  adds  that  the  stone  clearly 
shows  the  dates  of  the  vernal  and  autumnal  equi- 
noxes, summer  and  winter  solstice.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  antiquarian  Chavero  is  of  opinion  that  the 
stone  could  not  have  been  used  as  a calendar  on  ac- 
count of  lacking  certain  indispensable  elements  for 
the  computation  of  time.  He  considers  it  a gigantic 
votive  monument  to  the  sun,  above  which  sacrifices 
were  offered.  Whatever  was  the  original  intention 
of  the  sculptures  of  this  great  stone,  it  has  survived 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


1 1 8 

them  to  bear  testimony  to  their  attentive  notice  of 
the  movements  of  the  earth  and  heavenly  bodies,  of 
their  interest  in  astronomy,  and  their  accuracy  in 
arithmetical  calculation,  as  well  as  their  skill  in  carv- 
ing and  design,  and  their  power  to  overcome  the 
mechanical  difficulty  of  moving  so  huge  a mass  of 
stone. 

The  cycle  of  the  Aztecs  was  a period  of  fifty-two 
years.  They  believed  that  some  great  catastrophe 
would  occur  at  the  end  of  one  of  these  cycles,  and 
therefore  approached  the  termination  of  each  one,  at 
the  interval  of  fifty-two  years,  with  terror  and  dismay. 
On  the  arrival  of  the  five  unlucky  days  at  the  close 
of  the  year  when  the  end  of  the  cycle  recurred,  they 
abandoned  themselves  to  despair.  They  broke  in 
pieces  the  little  images  of  their  household  gods, 
lighted  no  fires  in  their  dwellings,  and  allowed  the 
holy  fires  in  the  temples  to  burn  out.  They 
destroyed  every  thing  they  possessed,  and  tore  their 
garments,  as  if  there  was  to  be  no  further  use  for 
earthly  comforts. 

On  the  evening  of  the  fifth  day  a procession 
moved  from  the  city  to  the  top  of  a hill  six  miles 
south  of  the  city.  There,  at  midnight,  just  as  the 
constellation  of  the  Pleiades  reached  the  zenith,  a 
new  fire  was  kindled  by  rubbing  sticks  over  the 
breast  of  a human  victim.  The  body  of  this  victim 
was  thrown  to  the  flames  which  sprang  up  from  the 
new-born  fire.  Shouts  of  joy  and  delight  burst  forth 
from  the  surrounding  hills,  the  housetops,  and  ter- 
races, which  were  crowded  with  the  populace  watch- 
ing for  the  result.  Torches  lighted  at  the  blazing 


AZTEC  CHARACTER. 


ug 

pile  were  carried  to  every  home,  and  kindled  with 
fresh  flame  every  hearthstone.  The  sun  rose,  the 
new  cycle  commenced,  and  the  Aztecs  felt  safe  for 
fifty-two  years  more. 

Then  came  the  house-cleaning.  All  the  destroyed 
pots  and  pans  were  replaced  by  new  ones.  New 
clothes,  prepared,  we  must  fear,  beforehand,  took 
the  place  of  the  old  ones.  The  people,  gayly 
dressed  and  crowned  with  flowers,  thronged  to  the 
temples  to  offer  up  their  thanksgiving.  All  was  joy 
and  merriment ; dances  and  songs  were  the  order  of 
the  day,  gifts  exchanged.  The  last  celebration  of 
this  festival  was  in  I 506. 

While  the  warriors  of  the  Mexicans  were  engaged 
in  ceaseless  raids  upon  neighboring  tribes,  the  true 
occupation  of  the  people  was  agriculture,  which  in 
their  delightful  climate  well  repaid  their  toil  and 
skill.  All  the  inhabitants,  even  in  the  cities,  culti- 
vated the  soil,  except  the  soldiers  and  the  great 
nobles.  The  men  did  all  the  heavy  work,  the  wo- 
men helping  them  by  scattering  seed,  husking  maize, 
and  such  light  matters.  Canals  were  cut  through 
sterile  lands,  for  they  fully  understood  the  import- 
ance of  artificial  irrigation,  to  aid  the  influence  of 
their  rainy  season.  The  forests  which  covered  the 
country  were  preserved  by  severe  penalties.  Ample 
granaries  were  provided  to  contain  their  harvests. 

Such  crops,  etc.,  as  were  available  for  their  lands 
were  known  to  the  Aztecs,  and  developed  to  their 
full  extent.  They  thoroughly  appreciated  and  en- 
joyed the  wealth  of  flowers  which  nature  scattered 
over  the  soil.  Flowers  were  to  them  an  important 


120 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


part  of  their  religious  ceremonies  ; their  soft,  bril- 
liant, or  gaudy  colors  had  each  its  peculiar  signifi- 
cance. Out  of  them  the  women  wove  wreaths  for 
the  head,  and  long  festoons  for  decoration,  heaping 
blossoms  in  greatest  profusion  wherever  was  festiv- 
ity and  rejoicing.  In  fact  in  the  Aztec  disposition 
is  found  an  inheritance  of  gentleness  and  mildness, 
brought  with  them  from  Aztlan,  shown  in  their  con- 


VASE.  MUSEUM  AT  MEXICO. 


sideration  for  women,  their  industry,  their  taste  in 
ornament,  and  their  devotion  to  flowers.  The  fe- 
rocity of  their  religious  sacrifices  has  nothing  in  com- 
mon with  these  other  traits  cf  character.  It  is  as  if 
this  dismal  feature  of  their  creed  were  picked  up 
somewhere  on  the  way  during  their  long  wanderings, 
a dark,  bloody  thread  interwoven  in  the  soft,  tender 
fabric  of  their  composition.  The  women  were  not 
oppressed,  but  ruled  their  homes  peaceably,  assisting 
in  the  lighter  work  of  the  field,  and  taking  care  o‘f 


AZTEC  CHARACTER , 


1 2 I 


the  children,  preparing  food,  and  all  household  re- 
quirements. 

Among  the  Aztecs  was  an  order  of  priestesses, 
who  withdrew  from  the  world  for  one  or  more  years 
at  the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  and  went  to  live 
shut  up  within  the  inner  courts  of  the  teocalli.  Their 
hair  was  cut  in  a set  fashion,  common  to  all,  but 
they  were  allowed  to  let  it  grow  again  after  one 
cutting;  they  were  draped  in  white,  without  any 
decoration  or  ornament,  and  always  slept  in  their 
clothes,  “ in  order  to  be  ready  for  work  in  the  morn- 
>'ng.”  The  life  was  one  of  abstinence  and  toil  ; they 
carried  their  eyes  always  cast  down,  and  bore  them- 
selves with  great  modesty  of  deportment,  always 
watched  by  the  sharp  eye  of  a lady-superior  within 
the  walls  of  their  retreat,  and  outside  by  vigilant 
old  men  who  stood  guard  by  day  and  night.  Their 
food  was  plain  and  sparing,  only  at  feast-time  were 
they  allowed  meat,  and  then  because  their  accus- 
tomed routine  was  interrupted  by  unusual  exertion. 
They  assisted  at  the  religious  dances  of  these  festu 
vals,  their  feet  and  hands  adorned  with  feathers,  and 
their  cheeks  painted  red.  On  days  of  penance  they 
pricked  their  ears,  and  put  the  blood  on  their  cheeks 
“as  a religious  rouge,”  says  the  account  ; washing  it 
off  in  a particular  basin  destined  for  that  purpose. 
The  slightest  variation  from  the  path  prescribed  to 
them  was  punished  by  death.  Some  of  the  Nahuatl 
deities  are  goddesses,  which  shows  that  the  sexes 
were  not  unequally  reverenced.  An  important  god- 
dess, Coatlicue,  or  She  of  the  Skirt  of  Serpents,  has 
a statue  in  the  court  of  the  museum  at  Mexico, 


122 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


which  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  specimens  of 
Aztec  workmanship.  Like  the  calendar,  it  was 
found  buried  in  the  Plaza  Mayor,  not  far  from  the 
cathedral,  doubtless  tumbled  there  by  the  Spaniards 
when  they  destroyed  the  great  teocalli.  It  is  not 
beautiful  according  to  ideas  of  symmetry  formed 
from  the  Venus  of  Milo  ; it  is  strange  and  interesting 
on  account  of  the  quantity  of  symbols  by  which  it  is 
overwhelmed.  Coatlicue,  or  Cihuatcotl,  or  Cihua- 
coatl,  is  the  serpent  woman,  mother  of  the  first 
human  pair  in  the  world  ; she  is  the  goddess  of  the 
earth,  in  the  night-time,  after  sunset.  She  is,  there- 
fore, the  mistress  of  the  dead.  And  then  she  is  the 
mother  of  Quetzalcoatl,  the  god  and  hero  of  the 
early  Nahuatl.  This  sounds  better  than  it  looks. 
The  upper  part  is  the  head  of  a serpent,  whose  body 
is  entwined  with  that  of  a woman.  The  skirt  is  a 
web  of  snakes,  adorned  with  tassels  and  feathers. 
The  figure  has  many  hands,  as  a symbol  of  the  pro- 
duction-giving power  of  the  earth.  The  skull  at  the 
girdle  shows  that  on  her  breast  repose  her  children 
after  death  in  eternal  slumber. 

Such  were  the  Aztecs  in  1500,  after  little  more 
than  a century  of  life  in  their  neiv  land.  Much  of 
their  civilization,  many  of  their  customs,  they  must 
have  caught  from  the  older,  longer  established,  re- 
fined court  of  the  Texcucans,  their  neighbors  at  the 
other  end  of  the  lake,  whose  dynasty  was  much 
older,  and  whose  traditions  came  down  unimpaired 
from  the  cultivated  Toltecs,  whose  remote  ancestors, 
if  they  came  from  the  same  stem  as  the  Aztecs  and 
wandered  to  Anahuac  from  the  same  shadowy  Az- 


AZTEC  CHARACTER. 


123 


tlan  or  Huehue-Tlapallan,  had  yet  the  advantage  of 
a couple  of  centuries  of  development,  and  a longer 
abstinence  from  the  bloody  rites  of  a savage  religion. 

The  Mexicans  were  in  some  sort  parvenus  on  the 
plateau.  They  won  their  way  by  their  valor  in  bat- 
tle, and  insisted  on  recognition  by  the  other  tribes, 
by  superior  force  or  ferocity  conquering  to  them- 
selves a large  portion  of  the  happy  land.  The  neigh- 
boring people  made  way  for  them,  a few  to  be  their 
allies  ; but  their  ferocious  warfare  had  made  them 
detested  by  those  who  feared  them  in  all  the  sur- 
rounding country,  so  that  these  other  kingdoms, 
republics,  or  sedentary  races  saw  not  unwillingly  the 
downfall  of  the  haughty  Aztec  house,  even  if  they 
did  not  actively  help  its  invaders. 

In  the  end,  this  policy  was  fatal  to  all.  Once  they 
had  gained  a foothold  on  the  plateau,  the  Conquis- 
tadores  stopped  not  until  the  whole  country  was 
within  their  grasp. 


XII. 

THE  LAST  OF  THE  MONTEZUMAS. 

AhuitzOTL  died  in  1502.  His  successor  was 
Motecuhzoma  II.,  the  son  of  the  famous  warrier 
King  Axayacatl.  Motecuhzoma  took  the  surname 
of  Xocoyotzin  to  distinguish  him  from  the  first  king 
with  his  name. 

He  was  thirty-four  years  old  when  he  came  to  the 
throne.  He  had  been  general-in-chief  of  the  armies, 
as  was  usual  with  the  heir-apparent  to  the  throne, 
and  when  he  was  elected  king  he  was  fulfilling  the 
office  of  high-priest,  which  was  unusual.  His  de- 
meanor was  grave,  calm,  and  taciturn.  He  was  in- 
flexible in  his  determination,  and  admitted  no  con- 
tradiction, stern  and  cruel  in  exacting  obedience  to 
his  commands;  but  extremely  credulous  and  timid 
to  cowardice  when  his  superstitious  fears  were 
aroused. 

He  is  said  to  have  been  handsome,  of  a fine  form, 
slight  rather  than  robust,  with  great  dignity  of  man- 
ner. His  well-formed  features  wore  an  habitual 
expression  of  sadness  or  gloom,  even  in  the  early 
days  of  his  reign,  when  the  shadow  of  his  destiny 
had  not  to  all  appearance  yet  fallen  upon  him. 

When  his  election  was  announced  to  him,  he  was 


124 


THE  LAST  OF  THE  MONTEZUMA  S. 


i-5 


found  sweeping  down  the  stairs  in  the  great  teocalli. 
He  received  the  message  with  assured  humility,  as 
one  unfit  for  so  high  a station.  The  usual  great 
preparations  were  made  for  his  coronation,  which 
was  more  splendid  than  those  of  his  predecessors, 
graced  by  the  sacrifice  of  a horde  of  captives,  won 
by  the  young  monarch  in  battle  for  this  purpose. 
Nezahualpilli,  the  wise  king  of  Texcuco,  the  valued 
relative  and  adviser  of  the  Aztec  royal  house,  made 
an  address  at  the  coronation  which  has  been  pre- 
served. 

“ Who  can  doubt,”  he  exclaimed  at  the  close, 
“that  the  Aztec  empire  has  reached  the  zenith  of  its 
greatness!  Rejoice,  happy  people,  and  thou,  happy 
youth,  doubt  not  that  our  Great  Deity  will  keep  thee 
safe  upon  thy  throne  through  many  long  and  glori- 
ous years.” 

Now  let  us  try  to  imagine  this  young  heir  to  a 
splendid  kingdom,  just  ascending  the  steps  of  the 
throne,  clothed  in  all  the  majesty  which  the  customs 
of  his  country  allowed.  Soft  robes  of  well  chosen 
colors  hung  about  him,  and  over  all  the  beautiful 
mantle  of  feather-work  which  the  Aztecs  knew  how 
to  make  out  of  the  plumage  of  all  the  brilliant  trop- 
ical birds  within  their  reach.  There  was  no  stint  of 
splendor  in  his  ornaments,  neck,  wrists,  ankles  en- 
clasped with  gold,  and  set  with  precious  stones.  A 
superb  head-dress,  over  which  waved  a bunch  of 
feathers,  stuck  with  sparkling  jewels,  added  dignity 
to  his  haughty  carriage  and  grave  features. 

One  hundred  years  of  successful  government  had 
made  the  Aztecs  proud.  Their  enemies  feared  them. 


126 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Surrounding  nations  sought  their  friendship  for  the 
sake  of  peace.  The  great  house  of  Texcuco  had 
allied  itself  with  their  king  in  marriage.  Mingled  in 
the  veins  of  Montezuma  with  the  savage  blood  of 
the  worshippers  of  Huitzilopochtli,  the  terrible  god 
of  war,  was  a gentler  strain  of  the  delicate  culture  of 
the  family  of  Nezahualcoyoti.  The  career  of  the 
young  monarch  seemed  clear  before  him  ; it  was  to  be 
a life  of  stirring  excitement  in  battle, — a warfare  not 
for  conquest  or  slaughter  on  the  field,  but  a holy  en- 
terprise to  bring  back  the  necessary  material  for  sacri- 
fice to  the  gods,  in  whom  he  believed  so  firmly  that 
the  horror  of  such  wholesale  destruction  of  life  made 
not  the  slightest  impression.  In  the  Aztec  wars  their 
enemies  were  seldom  killed  in  battle;  the  great  ob- 
ject was  to  save  prisoners  alive,  in  order  to  lay  them 
upon  their  altars. 

But  these  fearful  raids  upon  surrounding  popula- 
tions were  only  episodes  in  the  life  he  proposed 
to  himself.  He  inherited  a splendid  palace  in  a 
great  city;  for  although  we  are  now  taught  to  con- 
sider the  accounts  of  Tenochtitlan  given  by  the 
Spaniards  as  grossly  exaggerated,  we  must  accept 
the  assumption  that  in  the  estimation  of  himself  and 
his  people  his  palace  was  splendid,  and  that  the  city 
rvas  great,  and  upon  this  foundation,  since  the  Span- 
ish statements  are  unreliable,  and  accurate  informa- 
tion is  lacking,  we  may  draw  upon  fancy  to  fill  up  the 
picture. 

All  splendor  is  comparative ; the  halls  of  the 
Montezumas,  never  in  contact  with  the  palaces  of 
the  Old  World,  were  to  be  judged  upon  a scale  of 


THE  LAST  OF  THE  MONTEZUMA  S. 


12? 


their  own.  Tenochtitlan  was,  undoubtedly,  the  rich- 
est city  upon  Anahuac.  It  was  built,  like  Venice,  in 
the  midst  of  waters,  upon  an  island  intersected  with 
canals,  and  communicating  with  the  mainland  by 
means  of  four  broad  causeways.  An  aqueduct  from 
Chapultepec  brought  fresh  water,  as  the  lake  was 
brackish.  The  streets  were  laid  out  in  straight  lines 
and  at  right  angles,  following  the  direction  of  the 
causeways;  some  of  them  were  the  intersecting 
canals  themselves,  with  houses  facing  at  once  upon 
the  water,  and  on  the  other  side  the  street.  Upon 
the  canals  floated  canoas  for  pleasure  or  business, 
coming  from  the  suburbs  laden  with  food,  vegeta- 
bles, and  fruit,  the  cargo  heaped  always  with  a pro- 
fusion of  flowers,  bright-hued  poppies,  sweet  peas, 
and  the  deep-red  blossoms  of  clover.  Above  the 
houses,  which  were  not  high,  with  flat  roofs,  or 
azoteas , rose  the  lofty  teocalli,  and  the  walls  of  the 
royal  palace  which  dominated  the  other  buildings. 

Bernal  Diaz,  the  companion  of  Cortes,  who  is 
charged  with  much  garrulity  and  exaggeration,  says 
that  when  the  Spaniards  arrived  at  the  great  cause- 
way leading  to  the  capital  they  paused,  struck  with 
admiration  on  seeing  so  many  cities  and  villages  ris- 
ing from  the  soil,  with  the  splendid  highway,  perfectly 
level,  stretching  on  to  Mexico.  They  compared  the 
scene  to  the  enchanted  castles  described  in  “ Amadis 
of  Gaul,”  and  as  they  gazed  at  the  lofty  towers,  the 
great  temples,  and  the  white  buildings  gleaming  in 
the  sun  and  reflected  in  the  waters  of  the  lake,  they 
asked  each  other  if  it  was  not  all  a dream.  The  old 
chronicler  ends  his  account  with  this  brief  remark; 


128 


TIIE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


“ Now,  the  whole  of  this  city  is  destroyed  and  not  a 
bit  of  it  left  standing.” 

The  life  that  Montezuma  proposed  to  himself  was 
one  of  enjoyment  and  pleasure.  Upon  his  people  he 
wasted  little  thought.  The  country  was  prosperous 
and  they  were  happy,  always  a docile  and  domestic 
population  busy  with  agriculture,  their  crops,  and 
their  families.  It  is  said  that  he  used  to  go  out 
among  them  like  the  Sultan  in  the  “ Arabian 
Nights,”  disguised,  to  see  what  the  occupations 
of  his  subjects  were,  and  hear  what  they  talked 
about.  But  this  must  have  been  chiefly  to  fill  up 
his  time,  for  there  was  no  danger  of  sedition  or  con- 
spiracy among  the  citizens  of  his  capital.  A walk 
incognito  outside  its  walls,  through  the  lanes  of  any 
one  of  the  surrounding  pueblos  would  have  revealed 
to  him  a state  of  hostility  and  a longing  for  his  over- 
throw which  might  have  taught  him  something  for 
the  future. 

In  the  palace  was  luxurious  living;  fruits  of  the 
warmer  climate,  and  even  fresh  fish  from  the  Gulf, 
it  is  said,  were  brought  by  swift-footed  runners  up 
the  steep  path  that  the  steam-engine  now  requires 
fourteen  hours  to  climb  ; music  and  the  enjoyment 
of  society,  occupied  leisure  hours.  The  state  corre- 
spondence of  the  Aztec  court  consisted  in  picture 
writings  brought  by  messengers  from  all  parts  of 
the  country,  depicting  in  realistic  forms  the  events 
requiring  attention.  Montezuma  could  go  to  the 
lovely  Grasshopper  Hill  over  the  fine  causeway  under 
the  aqueduct  built  by  his  ancestors  ; not  as  the  gay, 
fashionable  world  now  makes  the  excursion  on  horse- 


THE  LAST  OF  THE  MOnTEZUMAS. 


129 


back  before  breakfast,  for  air  and  exercise,  but  car- 
ried in  a palanquin  by  four  strong  bearers.  It  has 
been  thought  that  the  Aztec  kings  had  a royal  villa 
at  Chapultepec  ; but  the  wise  men  have  given  that 
up  now,  because  they  find  no  traces  of  any.  Lately, 
however,  have  been  discovered  fragments  of  the 
effigy  of  Ahuitzotl,  Montezuma’s  uncle  and  prede- 
cessor, who  was  doubtless  buried  there.  It  was 
carved  in  half-relief,  a full-length  figure  life-size, 
stretched  out  on  a ledge  of  natural  rock.  The  carv- 
ing is  much  mutilated,  the  top  having  been  blasted 
off  apparently,  but  beneath,  distinctly  visible,  is  the 
date  corresponding  to  1507,  with  the  name,  Ahuit- 
zotl. 

This  chieftain  died  in  1502.  The  monument  was 
erected  therefore  by  the  direction  of  his  successor, 
Montezuma,  in  the  spot  well-beloved  by  all  genera- 
tions of  Aztecs,  under  the  trees  protected  and 
guarded  by  them. 

There  is  now  standing  an  ancient  cypress,  or 
ahuchnete , huge  among  the  other  great  trees  of  the 
grove,  which  goes  by  the  name  of  Montezuma’s 
cypress.  Its  gnarled  trunk  must  measure  more  than 
ten  feet  across,  and  its  branches  themselves  are  as 
big  as  trees.  The  leaves  of  this  great  tree  are  small 
and  delicate,  like  those  of  the  acacia ; they  hang 
from  slender  stems  drooping  over  the  great  limbs 
down  to  the  ground.  Long  trailing  gray  moss  now 
droops  from  the  branches,  which,  with  the  dense  foli- 
age, shuts  out  the  rays  of  the  sun,  so  that  a gloomy 
half-light  pervades  the  place.  Perhaps  it  was  more 
cheerful  in  the  heyday  of  Mexico,  or  did  coming 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


*30 

events  cast  their  shadows  before,  as  Montezuma 
paced  those  silent  alleys? 

It  may  well  have  been,  for  misfortunes  began  to 
obscure  the  sky  of  his  prosperity  like  little  clouds 
coming  up  on  the  horizon.  His  almost  constant 
wars  were  not  always  successful.  Each  victory  left 
behind  it  bitterness  and  discontent,  so  that  the  same 
field  had  soon  to  be  fought  over  again.  In  1516, 
Nezahualpilli,  the  wise  sovereign  of  Texcuco,  who 
had  always  been  a safe  and  strong  adviser  of  the 
Aztec  king,  during  his  long  reign  of  forty-four 
years,  left  the  kingdom  to  the  eldest  of  four  sons, 
Cacamatzin  ; the  honor  was  coveted  by  another  son, 
Ixtlilxochitl,  who  contested  the  throne.  Montezuma 
took  the  side  of  Cacamatzin,  as  rightful  heir,  in  a 
civil  war.  The  matter  was  settled  by  a division. 
Cacamatzin  kept  that  part  of  the  kingdom  of  the 
Aculhuas  which  stretched  south  of  the  capital  Tex- 
cuco ; while  his  rebellious  brother  obtained  the  part 
towards  the  north,  among  the  mountains.  This  di- 
vision of  the  kingdom  becomes  important  to  us  by 
and  by. 

About  this  time  all  minds  in  Anahuac  were  occu- 
pied by  sinister  presages,  constantly  repeated,  of 
dreadful  events  soon  to  occur.  Temples  were  in 
flames,  comets  appeared  unexpectedly  ; there  were 
inundations,  earthquakes  all  over  the  land,  and  the 
people  dreamed  strange  dreams. 

Above  all  hovered  the  rumor  that  men  of  great 
stature,  white  and  with  beards,  were  on  their  way  to 
subjugate  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  This  rumor 
was  perfectly  in  accordance  with  the  universal  tradi- 


THE  LAST  OF  THE  MONTEZUMA  S. 


i 3 1 


tion  about  Quetzalcoatl  (the  Bright  Shining  Serpent), 
the  bearded  white  man,  clothed  in  raiment  covered 
with  crosses,  who  had  taught  the  Toltecs  awe,  indus- 
try, and  skill.  He  predicted  with  supreme  authority 
before  he  disappeared  from  them,  the  arrival  of  men 
white  and  bearded  as  he  was,  who  would  take  pos- 
session of  the  country,  and  destroy  their  temples 
and  their  gods. 

This  event  was  a part  of  the  Mexican  belief,  a 
something  in  the  future  to  be  hoped  for  in  a certain 
way,  yet  dreaded  as  the  inception  of  great  changes 
in  the  manners  of  the  people.  The  races  subjugated 
by  the  power  of  Montezuma  might  look  forward  to 
the  coming  of  the  strangers  as  to  deliverance  ; but 
that  monarch  himself  became  penetrated  with  the 
conviction  that  his  wealth  and  prosperity  were  to 
disappear  in  the  course  of  his  lifetime. 

This  foreboding  took  possession  of  his  mind  and 
undermined  its  peace , he  became  unhappy  and 
brooded  over  his  fate  as  he  wandered  among  the 
gloomy  cypresses  of  Chapultepec.  He  had  con- 
sulted the  wise  Nezahualpilli  before  his  death  upon 
the  meaning  of  the  portents  which  pervaded  the  air, 
but  from  him  he  had  received  no  consolation.  The 
sage  shook  his  head  gravely,  and  when  urged,  con- 
firmed his  fears  by  translating  these  prodigies  as 
warnings  of  the  downfall  of  empires. 

It  might  well  be  that  these  things  pervaded  the 
air,  for  it  was  twenty-five  years  at  the  time  of  Neza- 
hualpilli’s  death  since  Columbus  had  set  foot  on 
American  soil.  The  strange  apparition  of  white 
men  armed  with  thunder  and  lightning,  would  be 


THE  STORY  Of  MEXICO. 


132 

sure  to  spread  from  mouth  to  mouth  and  from  nation 
to  nation.  The  fleet-footed  messengers  of  the  Mex- 
ican king  would  be  sure  to  bring  such  news  along 
with  fresh  fish  and  fruit  up  from  the  shores  of  the 
Gulf.  And  while  these  things  were  more  and  more 
weighing  upon  the  king’s  mind,  there  came  the 
report,  swift,  certain,  and  not  to  be  denied,  that  men 
in  boats  had  landed  by  the  river  Tabasco. 

Twenty  years  after  the  discovery  of  the  Antilles 
by  Columbus,  these  islands  were  fully  under  the 
control  of  the  Spanish.  Cuba,  the  most  important 
of  them,  was  a flourishing  colony,  under  the  admin- 
istration of  Diego  Velasquez  de  Leon. 

In  1517,  three  Spanish  adventurers  armed  three 
vessels  of  discovery  at  Cuba.  The  governor  Velas- 
quez joined  himself  to  this  enterprise.  These  ex- 
plorers discovered  the  eastern  point  of  Yucatan, 
which  they  named  Cape  Catoche,  after  a wood  which 
they  heard  spoken  of  by  one  of  the  natives.  They 
were  filled  with  amazement  at  the  civilization  of  the 
buildings  and  the  costumes,  and  hastened  to  land, 
but  being  received  by  a shower  of  arrows  they  as 
quickly  went  back  to  their  boats.  At  Campeche  N 
they  were  received  more  kindly,  and  exchanged 
gifts  with  the  natives.  Later,  Cordova,  the  leader 
of  this  expedition,  was  wounded  in  an  encounter 
with  the  natives,  and  returning  to  Havana  died  ten 
days  after.  Velasquez  heard  from  the  others  such 
an  account  of  the  wealth  and  resources  of  Yucatan, 
that  he  resolved  to  take  possession  of  it. 

He  sent  out  a little  squadron  in  the  charge  of 
Juan  de  Grijalva,  one  of  his  relatives,  to  make 


THE  LAST  OF  THE  MONTEZUMAS. 


133 


further  explorations.  They  coasted  along  the  shore 
of  Yucatan,  admiring  its  fertile  fields  and  the  cities 
and  villages  in  the  midst  of  them,  soon  arriving  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Tabasco  River.  At  first  the 
natives  seemed  inclined  to  give  them  a rough  recep- 
tion, but  Grijalva  propitiated  them  by  friendly 
messages,  and  on  disembarking  met  a brilliant  recep- 
tion. Green  copal  was  burnt  before  him,  in  the  way 
of  incense,  and  the  natives  brought  him  game,  fish, 
and  corn-bread.  The  prince  made  him  a present  of 
some  gold  necklaces  and  ornaments  carved  in  the 
shape  of  birds  and  lizards. 

Grijalva  and  his  followers  came  next  into  the  coun- 
try belonging  to  the  Mexican  crown,  and  saw  for 
the  first  time  the  royal  standard  of  Montezuma,  with 
the  nopal  and  the  eagle.  They  now  for  the  first 
time  began  to  hear  of  this  great  prince,  and  of  the 
riches  of  Anahuac. 

Such  were  the  tidings  brought  to  the  poor  Monte- 
zuma, already  depressed  by  vague  forebodings.  He 
received  the  news  with  positive  anguish,  as  he  con- 
templated the  evidences  of  their  power.  Reporters 
at  Tabasco  had  already  prepared  on  great  maguey 
canvasses  graphic  pictures  of  the  ship  of  the 
strangers,  their  costumes  and  arms,  which  were  hur- 
ried with  telegraphic  promptness  to  the  great  sov- 
ereign in  his  capital. 

The  council  was  assembled.  It  met  in  dismay. 
Finally  they  decided  to  send  to  the  shore  an  embassy 
laden  with  gifts  of  gold,  feathers,  and  splendid  stuffs, 
but  bearing  messages  urging  them  not  to  penetrate 
farther  into  the  country,  where  they  would  be  ex- 


'34 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


posed  to  constant  danger.  The  messengers  were 
charged  to  lay  great  stress  on  the  difficulties  and 
perils  of  travel  in  these  regions.  Thus,  while  they 
tempted  with  one  hand  full  of  gifts,  they  repulsed 
with  the  other.  Temptation  and  warning  were  for 
the  moment  unheeded.  When  they  reached  the 
coast,  Grijalva,  who  had  no  authority  from  Velas- 
quez to  involve  him  in  negotiations  with  the  Aztec 
monarch,  had  sailed  away. 


XIII. 


CORTES. 

Fernando  Cortes  was  born  in  1485  at  Medellin, 
the  principal  town  of  the  province  of  Estramadura, 
in  Spain.  His  father  was  a gentleman  of  old  blood, 
but  poor.  He  sent  his  son  to  the  University  of  Sal- 
amanca, but  Fernando  had  no  taste  for  study,  and  of 
his  own  will  entered  the  army,  with  the  intention  of 
serving  under  the  great  captain  Gonsalvo  of  Cordova 
in  the  campaign  of  Naples,  but  an  injury  caused  by 
falling  from  a roof  prevented  his  starting  with  the 
fleet.  As  soon  as  he  was  well  enough  he  set  off  in 
quest  of  adventure  for  the  West  Indies,  then  a new 
and  tempting  discovery,  and  joined  a relative  in  St. 
Domingo,  who  happened  to  be  governor  there.  This 
was  in  1504.  He  passed  several  years  there,  and  in 
15 1 1 accompanied  Diego  Velasquez  to  Cuba  when 
the  latter  was  appointed  to  colonize  that  island. 

The  contemporaries  of  Fernando  Cortes  draw  an 
attractive  portrait  of  him.  He  was  well  built  and 
skilful  in  all  manly  exercises.  The  wonderful  beauty 
of  his  glance  enhanced  the  charm  to  his  fine  and 
regular  features.  With  unequalled  bravery  he  com- 
bined wonderful  penetration  which  never  failed  him. 
He  was  eloquent  and  persuasive,  with  the  faculty  of 

i35 


i-6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


making  himself  beloved  and  respected  by  all  who  sur- 
rounded him,  over  whom  he  exercised  an  irresistible 
influence.  His  conceptions  were  vast  ; he  never  re- 
nounced a project  after  he  had  recognized  it  as  prac- 
ticable, but  he  tempered  his  audacity  of  design  with 
an  extreme  prudence  in  execution.  Reverses  he  en- 
dured with  heroism,  while  he  never  suffered  himself 
to  be  made  giddy  by  his  successes.  The  inviolable 
fidelity  which  Cortes  preserved  towards  his  legiti- 
mate sovereigns  tempered  his  personal  ambition, 
great  as  it  was,  and  his  love  of  money  though 
great  did  not  prevent  his  showing  liberality  when 
the  interest  of  his  glory  demanded  it. 

This  is  the  bright  side  of  the  picture  ; great  defects 
of  character  tarnish  it.  His  acts  of  cruelty  towards 
his  enemies,  and  his  greed  of  plunder  are  not  to  be 
overlooked  in  forming  an  estimate  of  this  wonderful 
man. 

Velasquez  had  already  sent  an  expedition  of  dis- 
covery towards  the  west,  and  Grijalva,  its  leader,  had 
entered  the  river  of  Tabasco,  where  he  disembarked, 
but,  feeling  he  had  no  authority  to  treat  with  the  na- 
tives, he  returned  to  report  what  he  had  seen  and  ask 
further  instructions. 

Velasquez  was  displeased  with  Grijalva  for  this 
moderation,  without  appreciating  a loyalty  which  he 
regarded  as  stupidity  ; and  excited  by  the  accounts 
of  the  new  country,  he  resolved  upon  another  under- 
taking in  the  same  direction.  He  sent  to  Spain  to 
ask  for  wider  powers,  and  to  obtain  for  himself  the 
government  of  the  lands  he  expected  to  conquer. 
He  offered  the  command  of  this  expedition  to  sev- 


CORTES. 


1 37 


eral  of  his  relatives.  They  all  refused  it.  It  was 
then  that  he  addressed  himself  to  Fernando  Cortes. 

There  is  a story  that  Cortes  was  in  love  with  a 
young  lady  named  Dona  Catalina  Juarez,  who  after- 
wards became  his  wife,  and  that  the  governor,  Velas- 
quez, also  devoted  to  the  Dona,  subjected  his  bril- 
liant rival  to  a terrible  persecution,  and  even  had  him 
seized  and  put  in  prison,  that  Cortes  escaped  and 
took  refuge  in  the  church,  a few  days  afterwards  he 
was  again  seized,  and  then  incarcerated  in  a ship 
with  a chain  about  his  foot.  Escaping  in  a skiff  and 
afterwards  by  swimming  he  reached  the  shore  and 
again  hid  himself  in  a sanctuary.'  In  the  end  he 
married  Dona  Catalina,  goes  this  tale,  was  recon- 
ciled with  the  governor,  and  made  Alcalde  of  San- 
tiago de  Cuba. 

However  this  may  have  been,  Cortes  received  and 
accepted  the  commission  now  offered.  His  reputa- 
tion for  bravery  and  great  popularity  gathered  about 
him  young  and  old,  the  bold  spirits  of  Cuba,  some 
among  them  former  companions  of  Grijalva  in  his 
expedition  ; Bernal  Diaz,  the  first  historian  of  the 
Conquest,  Olid,  Alvarado,  and  other  men  of  the 
greatest  bravery,  destined  to  play  great  parts  in  the 
epic  of  the  New  World. 

Velasquez,  even  before  the  departure  of  his  com- 
mander, began  to  distrust  him,  jealous  again  of  his 
great  powers,  but  they  parted  on  good  terms,  and 
Cortes  embarked  at  San  Jago  de  Cuba  on  the  1 8th 
November,  1518.  He  had  not  gone  far  when  an 
emissary  of  Velasquez  was  sent  after  the  expedition 
to  arrest  Cortes,  but  encouraged  by  his  companions. 


I3§ 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


who  urged  him  to  remain  at  their  head,  he  sent 
off  the  messenger  and  started  without  taking  any 
further  notice  of  the  jealousy  of  his  chief. 

The  squadron  of  Cortes  was  composed  of  eleven 
small  vessels.  There  were  I io  sailors,  553  soldiers,  of 
Avhich  thirteen  were  armed  with  muskets,  and  thirty- 
two  with  arquebuses,  the  others  with  swords  and 
pikes  only.  There  were  ten  little  field-pieces,  and 
sixteen  horses.  Such  were  the  forces  with  which 
the  bold  adventurer  set  forth  to  conquer  a vast  em- 
pire, defended  by  large  armies,  not  without  courage, 
according  to  the  report  of  Grijalva.  But  the  com- 
panions of  Cortes  were  unfamiliar  with  fear.  Cortes 
followed  the  same  route  as  Grijalva.  At  Cozumel, 
an  island  off  Yucatan,  he  learned  by  signs  from  the 
natives  that  white  captives,  with  beards,  had  been 
lately  seen  by  them.  Cortes  left  a letter  for  these 
men  with  a boat  and  some  soldiers,  and  the  result 
was  their  finding  a white  man  named  Jerome  d’ 
Aguilar,  whom  they  restored  to  liberty.  lie  told 
them  that  he  was  a native  of  Ecija,  in  Spain,  ship- 
wrecked in  15  1 1,  seven  years  before.  Thirteen  of 
his  companions  escaped  drowning  and  starvation, 
only  to  be  exposed  to  the  danger  of  being  eaten  by 
Mayas,  from  which  also  they  escaped  by  the  tolera- 
tion of  a cacique,  who  treated  them  well.  All  the 
rest  died  but  one,  and  this  one  refused  to  join  Cor- 
tes, having  a wife  and  children,  his  face  tattoed,  and 
wearing  ear-rings.  He  preferred  to  continue  in  the 
way  of  life  first  forced  upon  him,  but  Aguilar  gladly 
joined  the  adventurers,  and  proved  a valuable  acqui- 
sition, for  though  he  knew  but  little  of  the  country, 


COR  TES. 


1 39 


he  had  much  to  tell  of  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  people,  and  moreover  served  as  interpreter,  of 
which  the  commander  was  in  sore  need.  During  his 
long  captivity,  Aguilar  had  acquired  the  language  of 
the  country,  and  could  now  bring  Cortes  into  com- 
munication with  its  inhabitants. 

At  the  Tabasco  River,  which  the  Spanish  called 
Rio  de  Grijalva,  because  that  explorer  had  discovered 
it,  they  had  a fight  with  some  natives  who  resisted 
their  approach.  These  natives  fought  bravely,  but 
the  fire-arms,  and  above  all  the  horses,  which  they 
conceived  to  be  of  one  piece  with  their  riders,  caused 
them  extreme  terror,  and  the  rout  was  complete. 
According  to  Spanish  tradition,  the  Christian  sol- 
diers saw  at  the  opening  of  the  battle  their  patron, 
Saint  James,  mounted  on  a white  horse,  and  fighting 
for  them.  This  not  only  inspired  them  with  bravery, 
but  their  adversaries  with  fear,  so  that  they  fled  in 
alarm.  The  native  prince,  overcome,  sent  gifts  to 
the  conqueror,  and,  without  much  knowing  the  ex- 
tent of  his  agreement,  acknowledged  himself  as  vas- 
sal of  the  king  of  Spain,  the  most  powerful  monarch 
of  the  world. 

Cortes  passed  in  this  place  Palm  Sunday,  urging 
Aguilar,  who  called  himself  a deacon  of  the  church, 
to  explain  to  the  prince  and  the  lords  of  the  land  the 
mysteries  of  religion,  and  to  make  them  comprehend 
the  vanity  of  worshipping  idols.  The  anniversary 
was  then  solemnized,  with  high  mass,  received  with 
grave  reverence  by  the  natives,  much  impressed  by 
the  ceremonies  of  the  strange  religion. 

Meanwhile  a brief  calm  had  settled  over  the  court 


140 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


and  capital  of  Mexico.  The  white-faced  strangers 
had  left  the  coast,  and  it  was  to  be  hoped  they 
might  never  come  back.  The  nobles  took  up  their 
train  of  pleasure  and  the  common  people  went  on 
with  their  peaceable,  happy  lives,  floating  over  the 
canals  with  their  produce-laden,  flower-heaped  boats, 
singing  low  chants  of  the  past  in  a melancholy,  minor 
key,  peculiar  to  the  Mexican  music. 

But  one  day,  in  the  end  of  March,  1519,  swift 
messengers  came  up  the  steep  ascent  between  the 
tropical  flat  shore  and  the  cool  plateau  of  Anahuac, 
and  demanded  instant  audience  with  the  king.  Mon- 
tezuma knew  well  what  was  coming.  During  the 
interval  since  the  departure  of  the  white  men,  he 
had  felt  that  it  was  only  a respite,  and  that  the  terror 
of  their  presence  was  only  a premonition  of  worse 
things  to  come.  So  he  received  the  messengers  with 
a calm  smile,  and  simply  said  to  them  : “ Speak.” 
These  messengers  were  wonderfully  well  informed. 
Without  giving  the  precise  details  we  now  know, 
they  could  describe  the  conflict,  the  terror  of  the 
Tabascans,  and  above  all  the  strange  animals,  unlike 
any  thing  they  had  seen  before,  which  bore  their 
riders  into  battle,  perhaps,  in  fact,  a part  of  the  same 
machinery,  turning,  plunging,  advancing  as  if  by 
magic,  and,  as  they  thought,  invulnerable  to  all 
weapons.  Also  the  thunder  and  lightning  of  the 
new-comers  was  something  supernatural,  destructive 
flashes  of  fire  under  their  control,  accompanied  by  a 
bursting  sound,  and  followed  by  instant  death. 

These  tidings  appeared  incredible,  yet  must  be 
believed,  and,  what  was  more,  acted  upon.  The 


COR  TES. 


141 

king,  after  due  counsel  with  his  advisers,  resolved  tc 
send  envoys,  as  before,  to  the  strangers.  The  pres- 
ents prepared  for  Grijalva,  which  had  reached  the 
shore  too  late,  were,  alas  ! all  ready.  To  these  were 
now  added  the  ornaments  used  in  the  decoration  of 
the  image  of  Quetzalcoatl,  on  days  of  solemnity, 
regarded  as  the  most  sacred  among  all  the  possess- 
ions of  the  royal  house  of  Mexico. 

Cortes  accepted  the  role  of  Quetzalcoatl  and  al- 
lowed himself  to  be  decorated  with  the  ornaments 
belonging  to  that  god  without  hesitation.  The 
populace  were  convinced  that  it  was  their  deity 
really  returned  to  them.  A feast  was  served  to  the 
envoys,  with  the  accompaniment  of  some  European 
wine  which  they  found  delicious. 

The  adventurers  landed  on  Good  Friday,  and 
celebrated  Easter  on  shore  with  great  pomp  and 
solemnity.  The  intendant  of  the  province  brought 
offerings  to  the  great  stranger,  and  presents  were 
exchanged.  Cortes  sent  to  Montezuma  a gilt  helmet 
with  the  message  that  he  hoped  to  see  it  back  again 
filled  with  gold.  During  the  feast  native  painters 
were  busy  depicting  every  thing  they  saw  to  be 
shown  to  their  royal  master.  The  bearer  of  this 
gift  and  communication,  returning  swiftly  to  the 
court,  reported  to  the  monarch  that  the  intention  of 
the  stranger  was  to  come  at  once  to  the  capital  of 
the  empire.  Montezuma  at  once  assembled  a new 
council  of  all  his  great  vassals,  some  of  whom  urged 
the  reception  of  Cortes,  others  his  immediate  dis- 
missal. The  latter  view  prevailed,  and  the  monarch 
sent,  with  more  presents  to  the  unknown  invader, 


142 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


benevolent  but  peremptory  commands  that  he  should 
go  away  immediately.  Having  sent  off  the  messen- 
ger, poor  Montezuma  retreated  to  the  depths  of  his 
palace  and  refused  to  be  comforted,  foreseeing  that 
the  great  empire  of  Anahuac  was  about  to  fall. 

Meanwhile  the  Spanish  camp  was  feasting  and  re- 
posing in  huts  of  cane,  with  fresh  provisions,  in  great 
joy  after  the  weariness  of  their  voyage.  They  ac- 
cepted with  enthusiasm  the  presents  of  the  emperor, 
but  the  treasures  which  were  sent  had  an  entirely 
different  effect  from  that  hoped  for  by  Montezuma  ; 
they  only  inflamed  the  desire  of  the  Spaniard  to  have 
all  within  his  grasp,  of  which  this  was  but  a specimen. 

It  was  now  that  the  great  mistake  in  policy  was 
apparent,  by  which  the  Aztec  chieftain  had  for  years 
been  making  enemies  all  over  the  country,  invading 
surrounding  states,  and  carrying  off  prisoners  for  a 
horrible  death  by  sacrifice.  These  welcomed  the 
strangers,  and  encouraged  their  presence,  thinking 
they  might  be  valuable  allies  against  the  oppressive 
power  of  the  tyrant.  They  made  a dreadful  mistake 
of  course,  for  Cortes  ruined  all  the  native  populations 
of  Mexico,  while  he  grasped  at  the  wealth  of  Mon- 
tezuma; but  the  extent  of  his  daring  and  powers 
were  little  imagined  at  his  first  coming. 

Cortes  made  himself  captain-general  of  his  forces, 
and  established  the  site  of  Vera  Cruz,  the  rich  city 
of  the  True  Cross.  While  reposing  here,  he  was  de- 
lighted to  receive  an  invitation  from  the  cacique  of 
Cempoallan,  “ a very  fat  man,  and  an  enemy  of 
Montezuma,”  says  the  chronicle,  to  enter  his  do- 
mains as  a friend,  and  visit  his  capital  city. 


COR  RES. 


143 


The  site  of  this  city,  a pueblo , is  now  unknown, 
one  or  two  places  being  attributed  to  it.  In  fact, 
the  route  of  Cortes  from  the  coast  to  the  interior  has 
never  been  thoroughly  traced.  The  account  of  the 
place  and  his  reception  in  it  by  Cortes,  is  now 
thought  to  be  greatly  exaggerated  ; doubtless  the 
satisfaction  of  finding  himself  in  a place  of  any  com- 
fort, and  in  hospitable  hands,  led  him  to  depict  the 
place  with  glowing  colors.  He  accepted  the  invita- 
tion with  alacrity,  set  forth  for  Cempoallan,  delighted 
as  well  as  were  his  men  to  leave  the  hot  and  sandy 
shores  of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  for  higher  ground, 
fresher  air,  and  finer  climate.  The  next  day  they 
entered  the  city,  where  they  were  received  as  the 
avengers  and  liberators  of  an  oppressed  country. 
The  first  lords  of  the  court,  richly  dressed,  bearing 
superb  bunches  of  flowers  in  their  hands,  came  to 
meet  them  outside  the  town,  begging  Cortes  to  ac- 
cept the  excuses  of  their  sovereign’s  health,  who 
would  receive  them  at  home,  being  obliged  to  give 
up  the  pleasure  of  coming  out  on  account  of  his 
extreme  fatness. 

The  reporters  of  the  time  of  the  conquest  describe 
Cempoallan  as  they  do  every  thing  else,  with  the 
glow  of  enthusiasm.  They  represent  themselves 
amazed  at  the  beauty  of  the  streets,  the  dazzling 
whiteness  of  the  houses,  and  the  magnificence  of  the 
gardens.  All  the  population  came  forth  to  await 
them,  throwing  flowers  at  their  feet,  presenting  gar- 
lands and  sometimes  more  valuable  gifts. 

At  Cempoallan,  during  his  visit,  Cortes  learned  of 
the  existence  of  the  republic  of  Tlaxcalla,  hostile  to 


1 44 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Mexico,  and  immediately  resolved  to  avail  himselt 
of  these  people  if  necessary.  He  determined,  in 
spite  of  the  repeated  requests  of  Montezuma  that  he 
should  go  away,  to  march  to  Anahuac,  and  person- 
ally visit  the  monarch,  and  he  set  forth  from  Cem- 
poallan  on  the  16th  of  August,  1519,  on  his  way  to 
Tlaxcalla, — probably  taking  the  road  to  Jalapa. 
Jalapa  is  an  old  town,  over  four  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  with  a superb  view  of  the  lofty 
peaks  of  Orizaba  and  the  Cofre  di  Perote,  covered 
always  with  snow,  rising  behind  hills  and  valleys  and 
lesser  mountains  ; it  is  probable  that  the  Spaniards 
regarded  less  the  splendor  of  the  prospect  than  the 
difficulties  it  presented  to  their  passage. 

Before  leaving  the  sea-coast,  Cortes  with  great, 
resolution  destroyed  the  greater  part  of  his  ships  by 
beaching  them.  This  was  to  put  an  end  to  any 
scheme  of  retreat  which  might  have  sprung  up  in  the 
breasts  of  discontented  members  of  his  party.  Three 
months  had  now  passed  since  he  arrived  in  Mexico. 
The  ships,  with  the  exception  of  one  of  the  smallest, 
were  destroyed.  There  was  no  chance  to  turn  back; 
and  the  conqueror  boldly  prepared  for  his  enterprise. 

The  body  of  men  which  he  called  his  army  was 
composed  of  415  infantry,  and  16  horses  ; they  took 
with  them  7 cannon.  With  this  handful  of  men 
he  risked  himself  in  a hostile  country,  inhabited  by 
people  wholly  unknown  to  him  in  manner  and  lan- 
guage. He  began  by  destroying  his  only  means  of 
escape,  in  case  of  defeat  ; relying  only  on  his  own 
courage,  and  the  devoted  bravery  of  his  little  band. 


XIV. 

MALINTZI. 

WHILE  Cortes  and  his  followers  are  resting  them- 
selves at  Cempoallan,  while  Montezuma  is  awaiting 
their  approach  with  superstitious  dread,  we  will  stop 
to  make  the  acquaintance  of  the  gentle  woman  who 
was  so  important  to  the  daring  invader  of  the  heights 
of  Anahuac. 

She  was  born  at  Pafnala,  now  a picturesque  village 
buried  in  forests  on  the  borders  of  the  Coatzacoalco 
River,  about  1502.  This  pueblo,  as  well  as  others 
in  its  neighborhood,  belonged,  it  is  said,  to  her 
father,  one  of  the  great  vassals  to  the  crown,  then 
worn  by  Montezuma  II.  Thus  the  little  duchess, 
for  so  she  might  be  called,  lived  until  her  eleventh 
year,  in  ease  and  comfort.  Then  her  father  died, 
and  her  mother,  marrying  again,  transferred  all  her 
maternal  care  and  affection  to  a boy,  the  child  of  the 
new  union.  In  order  that  this  boy  should  inherit 
the  family  wealth  and  estates,  reports  were  spread 
of  the  death  of  the  other  child.  The  body  of  a 
slave  who  had  just  died  was  substituted  for  the 
heiress,  and  the  funeral  celebrated  with  pomp. 
Meanwhile  the  disinherited  girl  was  given  over  or 


146 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO 


sold  to  travelling  merchants,  who  in  their  turn  trans- 
ferred her  to  the  chief  of  the  Tabascans,  to  whom 
she  became  a slave.  In  the  Tabascan  kingdom  she 
grew  up,  and  with  her  great  intelligence  acquired 
readily  the  Mayan  language  used  at  Tabasco  with- 
out forfeiting  her  native  tongue,  that  spoken  at  the 
Aztec  court. 

Like  the  Aztec  maidens  of  good  birth,  she  had 
been  carefully  trained  up  to  the  time  when  she  was 
abandoned  to  slavery.  Her  new  position  did  not  re- 
duce her  to  humiliating  tasks,  or  forced  labor,  and 
she  probably  led  a happy  life  in  the  soft  climate  of 
her  new  home,  surrounded  by  trees  always  blossom- 
ing, rich  vegetation,  and  new  friends,  who,  although 
her  keepers,  were  gentle  and  indulgent  after  the 
manner  of  the  Mayan  tribes. 

In  1519,  just  as  the  pretty  maiden  was  reach- 
ing her  seventeenth  year,  Cortes  arrived  at  Ta- 
basco. After  the  first  fright  of  their  coming  was 
over,  followed  by  futile  efforts  at  resistance,  the 
Tabascans  were  willing  to  make  peace.  A treaty  of 
alliance  was  concluded,  as  we  have  seen,  and  with 
the  gifts  of  the  chief  to  the  conqueror,  came  twenty 
young  slave-girls,  whose  business  it  was  to  grind  the 
corn  to  make  bread  for  their  new  masters.  Cortes 
at  once  ordered  that  these  women  should  be  taught 
the  truths  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  among  the 
rest  the  heiress  of  Pai'nala  was  converted  by  Aguilar, 
and  baptized  by  her  new  name,  Marina.  Marina,  for 
the  Indians  became  Malina,  as  their  tongues  do  not 
accept  the  R.  Afterwards  Cortes  himself  acquired 
the  nickname  of  Malintzin,  that  is,  the  master  of 


MALINTZI, 


147 


Malina,  and  with  them  the  word  Malintzi,  or  Malin- 
che,  has  attached  itself  to  her  as  well 

When  the  Spaniards  again  landed,  a grave  diffi- 
culty presented  itself.  Aguilar,  the  interpreter, 
knew  Mayan,  but  not  one  word  did  he  understand 
of  the  Aztec  dialect  now  spoken.  Suddenly  one  of 
the  young  women  presented  by  the  Tabascan  chief 
was  seen  conversing  fluently  with  the  visitors  who 
crowded  round  the  boats  of  the  new-comers.  She 
was  instantly  summoned  by  the  commander,  and  at 
once  became  very  important  as  interpreter,  translat- 
ing for  Aguilar  what  he  could  easily  render  into 
Spanish.  Through  her  was  transmitted  the  first 
message  of  Montezuma  to  the  dreaded  white  woman. 
It  makes  a pretty  picture — this  graceful  Aztec  girl 
standing  between  the  two  parties:  on  one  side  the 
Indians,  richly  dressed,  to  impress  the  stranger,  in 
robes  of  gay  colors,  adorned  with  feathers  and  orna- 
ments ; on  the  other  Cortes,  in  the  armor  of  the 
time,  assuming  all  the  haughtiness  of  demeanor 
possible  ; grouped  about  him  his  band  of  stalwart 
followers,  curiosity  on  their  features,  making  up  by 
their  eyes  for  the  uselessness  of  their  ears,  which 
were  of  no  use  to  them  for  understanding  what  was 
going  on.  The  Aztecs  speak  and  announce  the  will 
of  their  monarch.  Marina,  with  intelligence  in  her 
glance,  listens  attentively,  then  with  her  grave  smile 
reports  the  matter  to  Aguilar.  Aguilar  must  have 
been  in  rags,  for  his  long  sojourn  with  the  Indians 
had  brought  him  to  a low  estate.  He  gathers  the 
Mayan  message  from  the  lips  of  Marina  translated 
from  Nahuatl,  and  gives  it  in  good  sound  Spanish  to 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


148 

the  captain.  His  reply  is  conveyed  by  the  same 
double  interpreting  back  to  the  messengers.  The 
substance  of  the  colloquy  is,  on  the  part  of  Monte- 
zuma, a welcome,  and  lavish  offering  of  gifts,  through 
which  appears  his  unconcealed  anxiety  to  speed  the 
parting  guest.  From  Cortes  the  reply  of  scanty 
thanks  for  benefits  received,  and  the  determination 
to  press  on  to  the  plateau. 

If  we  were  allowed  to  believe  good  old  Bernal 
Diaz,  the  visible  testimonials  of  the  conference 
needed  no  interpreter.  The  gifts  of  the  messengers 
are  described  as  splendid — shields,  helmets,  cuirasses 
embossed  with  pure  gold  ornaments,  sandals,  fans, 
crests  of  gaudy  feathers  interwoven  with  gold  and 
silver  threads,  and  strewed  with  pearls  and  precious 
stones.  The  helmet  sent  back  by  Cortes  had  come 
again  filled  to  the  brim  with  grains  of  gold. 

Two  round  plates  of  gold  and  silver,  as  big  as 
carriage  wheels,  excited  the  most  delight.  The  gold 
one  represented  the  sun,  and  was  richly  carved  with 
plants  and  animals.  Where  are  all  these  things 
now  ? So  utterly  disappeared  that  many  people 
believe  they  only  existed  in  the  imagination  of  the 
chronicler  of  the  Conquest. 

No  wonder  that  such  startling  treasures  proved 
an  invitation  more  potent  than  the  twice  translated 
prayer  to  go  away  which  accompanied  them. 

The  Spaniards  were  impatient  to  move  at  once. 
Cortes,  charmed  with  the  grace  and  intelligence  of 
the  young  interpreter,  encouraged  her  by  every  sign 
of  favor,  and  she,  young,  forlorn,  deserted,  expanded 
under  the  warmth  of  his  kindness  and  flattery.  In 


MALINTZI. 


I49 


a very  short  time  she  acquired  enough  Spanish  to 
interpret  directly  for  her  lord  and  master,  who  be- 
came the  object  of  her  intense  adoration. 

Marina  was  very  beautiful,  according  to  the  de- 
scription of  the  Spanish  chroniclers.  If  she  were  at 
all  like  the  descendants  of  her  race,  she  wore,  doubt- 
less, a white  loose  garment,  embroidered  in  the 
square  neck  and  sleeves  with  red  ; her  black  hair  was 
braided  in  two  long  tresses  interwoven  with  pearls 
and  coral.  Her  slightly  copper-colored  tint  was 
clear  enough  for  a soft  play  of  rose  in  her  cheeks  ; 
her  large  soft  eyes  beamed,  and  her  white  teeth 
flashed  as  she  smiled  ; while,  for  the  most  part, 
her  oval  face  remained  grave,  almost  sad,  in  its 
expression.  She  was  slight,  graceful,  with  small 
hands  and  feet. 

From  this  time  forward  Malintzi  was  always  at 
the  side  of  the  conqueror,  aiding  him  not  only  as 
interpreter,  but  with  her  surprising  vigilance,  and 
perception  of  the  tendency  of  events  due  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  natives.  She  was  always  full  of 
courage,  and  had  the  endurance  of  a man,  sharing 
all  the  sufferings  of  the  little  army  with  patience 
and  even  gayety.  In  fact,  she  had  never  been  so 
happy  before,  and  the  hardships  of  the  camp  were 
nothing  compared  with  the  trials  of  her  earlier  life. 
She  witnessed  the  slaughter  of  her  countrymen  with 
grief,  and  interceded  always  in  favor  of  the  con- 
quered ; but  no  thought  of  patriotism  troubled  her 
mind  as  she  deliberately  surrendered  the  land  to  the 
hands  of  its  enemies. 

Later.  Malintzi  lived  to  contemplate  the  ruin  she 


150 


J HE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


had  helped  to  make,  in  a time  when  she  had  outlived 
the  brief  happiness  of  her  sojourn  with  the  Conquis- 
tadores.  But  we  will  leave  her  now,  full  of  joy, 
affection,  courage,  the  proudest,  most  useful  of 
petted  interpreters,  in  order  not  to  anticipate  the 
current  of  the  story. 


XV. 

TLAXCALLA. 

As  we  have  seen,  the  little  province  of  Tlaxcalla 
was  situated  in  an  isolated  position  among  the  moun- 
tains, holding  itself  independent,  and  always  hostile 
to  the  Confederates  of  the  Valley,  as  the  Mexicans 
and  their  allies  are  now  called.  The  Conquistadores 
describe  it  as  a formidable  state,  bearing  the  name 
of  a republic,  of  ancient  origin  and  advanced  civili- 
zation. They  speak  of  its  capital  as  a splendid  city, 
divided  into  four  quarters,  each  governed  by  an 
hereditary  chieftain,  who  exercised  his  authority 
over  a number  of  dependent  villages  assigned  to 
him.  They  give  to  the  little  republic,  which  con- 
tained scarcely  fifty  square  miles,  the  dignity  of  a 
confederacy  of  four  separate  states  with  one  common 
head. 

In  this  constant  exaggeration  we  must  remember 
that  Cortes  was  in  the  hands  of  the  interpreters,  one 
of  them  Malintzi,  who  may  have  used  the  word  for 
republic  when  she  meant  tribe,  and  splendid  city 
instead  of  pueblo.  We  may  allow  ourselves  to  think 
that. 

The  Tlaxcallans  were  an  orderly,  excellent  peo- 
ple ; to  gain  the  friendship  of  such  a tribe  was  highly 
important  to  the  Spanish  conqueror.  To  their 


151 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


i q2 


loyalty  and  good  faith  he  applied  the  arts  of  his 
eloquence  and  bravery,  and  awaited  at  a distance 
the  results  of  an  embassy  which  he  sent  forward. 
There  was  a stormy  discussion  in  the  councils  of 
Tlaxcalla,  between  the  chiefs  who  welcomed  allies 
against  their  great  enemy,  Montezuma,  and  those 
who  feared  the  intervention  of  unknown  warriors, 
come  from  afar,  of  whose  intentions  they  had  no 
means  of  judging.  Those  which  prevailed  were  for 
a third  course,  by  which  a trap  was  laid  for  the  Span- 
iards without  implicating  at  first  the  Tlaxcallans. 

Cortes,  impatient  of  delay,  pressed  forward  with- 
out waiting  for  his  answer,  and  found  himself,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1519,  before  an  army  of  Otomis,  a tribe 
friendly  to  the  Tlaxcallans,  whom  they  had  persuaded 
to  attack  the  strangers,  without  mixing  in  the  fight 
themselves.  Cortes  easily  repulsed  this  savage  band, 
and  without  pressing  his  advantage,  again  attempted 
negotiations  with  the  republic  ; but  by  this  time  a 
haughty  message  was  returned  to  him  that  “ the 
strangers  which  the  sea  had  thrown  up  could  come 
if  they  chose  to  the  great  city,  to  become  sacrifices 
to  the  gods  and  served  up  at  a sacred  festival.” 
Cortes,  of  course,  was  firm,  and  on  the  5th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1519,  took  place  the  first  real  struggle 
between  the  army  of  the  old  world,  which  in  this 
case  appeared  the  new  one,  and  the  brave  descend- 
ants of  an  ancient  race. 

The  Tlaxcallans,  led  by  the  young  and  brave  Gen- 
eral Xicotencatl,  fought  bravely,  but  the  result  was 
in  favor  of  the  little  band  of  Spaniards,  after  a hot 
contest  of  but  four  hours.  The  Tlaxcallans  returned 


TLAXCALLA. 


to  their  city,  and  consulted  their  oracle.  1 he  head 
priest  pronounced  that  their  enemies  were  children 
of  the  sun,  and  invincible  during  the  day,  while  their 
father  was  shining  in  the  sky,  but  that  by  night  they 
would  lose  their  strength  and  be  like  other  mortals. 

The  next  night,  encouraged  by  this  divine  decree, 
an  attack  was  made,  but  Cortes  was  on  his  guard.  The 
enemy,  who,  relying  on  their  priests,  had  imagined 
they  were  marching  to  certain  victory,  took  flight, 
in  abject  terror. 

After  this,  the  Tlaxcallans  made  no  further  re- 
sistance. Peace  was  solemnly  concluded,  and  the 
republic  recognized  as  a vassal  to  the  crown  of  Cas- 
tile, pledging  itself  to  sustain  Cortes  in  all  his  ex- 
peditions. Mass  was  celebrated,  and  the  conclusion 
of  the  treaty  was  an  occasion  of  great  joy.  This 
alliance  was  absolutely  important  to  Cortes.  The 
Tlaxcallans  remained  to  the  end  faithful  to  it  ; later 
on,  without  their  support,  and  their  chief  city  to  fall 
back  upon,  the  conqueror  must  have  inevitably 
failed  in  his  enterprise. 

The  Tlaxcallans  consented  to  accept  the  God  of 
the  Christians,  but  were  unwilling  to  give  up  their 
old  protecting  divinities  for  fear  of  appearing  un- 
grateful to  them.  Cortes  insisted  upon  the  abolition 
of  human  sacrifices,  and  himself  made  a chapel  in  the 
palace  assigned  to  him  and  erected  in  it  the  cross. 
The  first  mass  celebrated  there  attracted  immense 
crowds,  and  many  natives,  especially  young  girls  of 
good  birth,  were  voluntarily  baptized. 

The  Conquistadores  entered  Tlaxcalla  the  22d  of 
September,  receiving  demonstrations  of  the  greatest 


1 54 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


friendship.  Here  Cortes  rested  awhile,  but  only  in 
order  to  cement  his  good  relations,  and  to  obtain  in- 
formation how  best  to  proceed.  He  himself  is  said 
to  have  been  so  ill  from  fever  that  he  could  hardly 
keep  his  seat  in  the  saddle,  but  this  man  of  iron 
habitually  disregarded  the  troubles  of  the  flesh. 

His  next  step  was  to  Cholula,  where  he  was  re- 
ceived  with  apparent  cordiality  ; but  Malintzi’s  vigi- 
lance discovered  a plot  for  the  destruction  of  the 
Spanish  army.  Cortes  resolved  to  punish  this  treach- 
ery by  an  example.  He  collected  all  the  principal 
Cholultecas  in  a large  court,  accused  them  of  perfidy, 
and,  without  listening  to  explanations,  put  them  to 
general  slaughter,  so  that  “ in  two  hours,”  according 
to  the  letter  of  Cortes  describing  the  affair,  “ per- 
ished more  than  three  thousand  natives.”  The  body 
of  the  Tlaxcallans  who  had  joined  themselves  to  this 
expedition,  gathered  rich  booty  from  it,  and  returned 
home  well  content  with  the  prowess  of  their  new 
ally. 

Cortes  then  issued  a general  pardon.  Calm  re- 
turned to  the  streets  of  Cholula,  and  the  people  of 
the  surrounding  villages  poured  in  to  do  honor  to 
the  terrible  conqueror.  Emissaries  from  Mexico, 
who  witnessed  this  bloody  triumph,  were  not  slow  to 
describe  it  to  their  sovereign,  who  became  more  and 
more  frightened  and  despairing. 

Cortes  stayed  two  weeks  in  Cholula,  before  setting 
out  again  for  Mexico.  It  was  thus  early  that  he  re- 
ceived overtures  of  alliance  from  Ixtlilxochitl,  king 
of  a portion  of  Texcuco,  who  was  in  constant  war- 
fare with  his  brother  Cacamatzin.  These  young  men, 


TLAXCALLA. 


155 


it  will  be  remembered,  were  nephews  of  Montezuma, 
who,  in  the  quarrel  between  them  had  defended  the 
cause  of  Cacamatzin,  so  that  the  neglected  brother 
detested  him.  Like  all  the  rest  of  Montezuma's 
kindred  who  played  into  the  hands  of  his  enemy, 
Ixtlilxochitl  had  later  reason  to  regret  his  hasty 
recognitition  of  the  stranger,  who  came  to  seize  and 
adopt  for  his  own  every  thing,  regardless  of  small 
quarrels  and  petty  animosities.  This  early  alliance 
with  one  of  the  neighboring  chiefs  was  of  great  ad- 
vantage to  Cortes  though  he  scarcely  understood 
then  its  importance. 

Ixtlilxochitl  sent  ambassadors  as  far  as  Tlaxcalla 
to  invite  Cortes  to  pass  through  his  territory  on  his 
way  to  Mexico.  Cacamatzin,  on  the  other  hand,  in- 
dignant at  the  disregard  shown  to  the  wishes  of  his 
royal  uncle  by  the  Europeans,  hastened  to  Texcuco, 
resolved  to  collect  an  army  and  declare  war  against 
them,  but  Montezuma,  with  a faithlessness  not  to  be 
excused  by  his  terror,  himself  set  an  ambuscade  for 
his  nephew,  and  handed  him  over  to  Cortes,  who  had 
him  loaded  with  chains  and  imprisoned. 

Through  the  influence  of  Montezuma,  Cortes  al- 
lowed a third  son  of  the  late  King  Nezahualpilli  to 
occupy  his  throne.  This  was  Cuicuicatzin,  twelfth 
king  at  Texcuco.  He  was  loyal  to  the  Spaniards. 
It  would  seem  that  he  stayed  by  them  even  through 
the  terrors  of  the  noche  triste ; and  that  returning 
to  Mexico  after  that  sad  night,  being  considered, 
with  some  reason,  to  be  a spy  of  the  Spaniards,  he 
was  killed  by  the  order  of  the  successor  of  Monte- 


zuma. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


I 5 6 

Followed  by  a horde  of  Cholulans  and  Tlaxcallans, 
Cortds  set  out  on  his  difficult  journey  across  the  pla- 
teau, impeded  by  tempests  and  sandstorms.  The 
view  they  got  of  the  fair  valley  of  Mexico  made 
them  forget  all  their  fatigues.  At  their  feet  were 
noble  forests  ; farther  on  they  saw  cultivated  fields, 
and  in  the  centre  of  an  immense  fertile  basin  the 
lakes,  bordered  with  cities  and  villages  ; in  the  middle 
of  the  panorama  was  the  city,  Mexico  the  Proud, 
resting  upon  its  waters,  and  crowned  with  towers  and 
pyramidal  temples.  Above  the  capital  rose,  on  the  hill 
Chapultepec,  the  favorite  resort  of  the  Mexican  mon- 
arch, surrounded  by  its  great  cypresses.  P'arther  off 
was  seen  Texcuco,  not  less  fair  than  Tenochtitlan, 
and,  round  about  all,  the  girdle  of  irregular  moun- 
tains which  enclose  and  form  this  incomparable 
picture. 

Cortes  was  seized  with  enthusiasm  at  the  sight. 
This  was  his  promised  land.  Boldly  he  pressed  on- 
ward to  success,  in  spite  of  his  feeble  means. 

At  Ayotzinco,  Cacama  came  forth  to  meet  the 
strangers,  King  of  Texcuco,  loyal  to  Montezuma,  a 
splendid  young  man  of  twenty-five,  richly  dressed. 
He  brought  presents  for  the  invaders,  but  urged  them 
even  then  to  turn  back.  Cortes  replied  with  cour- 
tesy but  firmness  that  nothing  would  deter  him  from 
entering  Mexico.  “ In  that  case,”  replied  Cacama, 
“ I will  return  to  the  court  ” ; and  without  any  thing 
which  could  be  considered  an  invitation,  he  withdrew 
with  his  suite. 

On  the  8th  of  November  the  Spaniards  found 
themselves  on  the  great  avenue  leading  to  the  capi- 


i57 


TLAXCALLA. 


tal.  Here  Montezuma  came  to  meet  them  with  the 
greatest  splendor,  of  costume  and  retinue.  Magnifi- 
cent carpets  were  spread  on  the  ground,  the  monarch 
descended  from  his  palanquin  with  a bouquet  in  his 
hand,  supported  on  either  side  by  his  brother  and 
nephew.  Cortes  approached  him  with  respect  and 
put  about  his  neck  a chain  of  gold  ornamented  with 
paltry  colored  beads. 

Montezuma,  calm  and  dignified  at  this  critical  mo. 
merit,  welcomed  Fernando  to  his  capital,  where  the 
gods  had  long  announced  his  coming.  Then  he  en- 
tered his  palanquin  again,  leaving  the  two  princes  to 
escort  the  Spaniards  to  the  palace  he  destined  to  re- 
ceive them. 

The  adventurers  followed  with  their  eyes  the  royal 
coi'tc'gc  as  it  vanished  along  a wide  street  which  they 
describe  as  lined  with  sumptuous  palaces.  No  one 
was  looking  on  in  the  streets,  and  the  silence  of 
death  reigned  in  the  city.  By  royal  command  the 
whole  population  abstained  from  coming  out  to  wel- 
come these  audacious  intruders. 

Cortes  understood  the  lesson,  and  it  is  said  that 
he  then  and  there  made  a vow,  that  if  he  should 
escape  safely  from  this  enterprise  he  would  erect 
a church  upon  that  very  spot. 

He  built  in  fact  later  the  hospice  and  church  of 
Jesu-Nazareno — in  compliance  with  this  vow. 


LA  NOCHE  TRISTE. 


The  ancient  palace  of  Axayacatl  was  prepared  to 
receive  the  strangers,  within  whose  walls  were  ample 
accommodations  for  the  leaders  of  the  little  host. 

Cortes  proceeded  at  once  to  explore  the  capital,  its 
paved  causeways  and  lagoons.  He  devoted  himself 
to  gaining  the  friendship  of  Montezuma,  and  strove 
to  incline  him  to  embrace  the  Catholic  religion  and 
become  a subject  of  the  king  of  Spain.  The  bewil- 
dered king  listened  to  these  persuasions,  transmitted 
to  him  through  the  lips  of  Malintzi-Marina,  with 
amazement  and  dread.  He  scarcely  understood 
the  import  of  the  words,  and  the  doctrine  of  the 
Cross,  thus  suddenly  presented  to  him,  was  only  a 
puzzle.  Cortes  had  but  little  patience  with  his  pu- 
pil. His  own  situation  was  full  of  peril,  in  the  midst 
of  a large  population  who  showed  no  cordiality  tow- 
ards the  Spaniards.  He  resolved  upon  the  bold 
measure  of  seizing  the  person  of  Montezuma. 

Having  found  a pretext  for  a visit,  Cortes  waited 
on  the  monarch  in  his  palace.  An  audience  was 
readily  granted.  He  was  graciously  received  by 
Montezuma,  who  entered  into  light  conversation 
through  the  interpreters,  and  gave  little  presents 

155 


LA  NO  CHE  TEISTE. 


159 


to  the  Spanish  general  and  his  attendants.  He 
readily  listened  to  the  complaints  brought  by  Cor- 
tes against  certain  caciques  who  had  killed  some 
Spaniards.  Cortes  then  coolly  suggested  that  it 
would  be  better  for  Montezuma  to  transfer  his  resi- 
dence to  the  palace  occupied  by  the  Spaniards,  as 
a sign  to  his  people  of  his  perfect  confidence,  as  well 
as  a proof  to  the  king  and  master  of  Cortes  that  he 
was  loyal  to  the  strangers. 

Montezuma  listened  to  this  proposal  with  looks  of 
profound  amazement.  He  became  pale  under  his 
dark  skin,  but  in  a moment  his  face  flushed  with 
resentment  ; and  he  utterly  declined  the  proposal. 
The  visit  was  prolonged  in  discussion  and  persua- 
sion, always  gentle  on  the  part  of  Cortes,  but  one  of 
his  companions,  Velasquez  de  Leon,  to  cut  short  the 
matter,  proposed  seizing  the  king,  with  such  fierce 
note  and  gesture,  that  Montezuma,  alarmed,  asked 
Marina  what  had  been  said.  She  strove  to  explain 
the  exclamation  in  a gentle  fashion,  and  besought 
him  so  tenderly  to  yield,  that  the  poor  king  finally 
consented  to  quit  his  own  palace  and  allowed  him- 
self to  be  led  away.  With  their  sovereign  thus  in  his 
power,  Cortes,  with  his  wonderful  tact  and  resource, 
might  have  succeeded  in  his  plan  of  peaceably  subju- 
gating the  Mexicans,  but  unfortunately  at  that  time 
he  had  to  leave  the  capital  for  Vera  Cruz,  where  Nar- 
vaez, an  emissary  from  the  governor  of  Cuba,  had 
just  landed,  with  directions  to  dispossess  Cortes  of 
his  command.  The  affair  took  only  a little  while, 
for  Cortes  surprised  the  new-comer  in  his  own  quar- 
ters at  Cempoallan,  routed  him  entirely,  and  carried 


i6o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


off  to  join  his  own  troops  the  forces  sent  against 
him  from  Cuba,  a very  timely  addition,  especially 
the  horses,  of  which  he  was  greatly  in  need. 

This  despatched,  he  returned  in  all  haste  to  Mex- 
ico, which  he  had  left  in  the  hands  of  Don  Pedro  de 
Alvarado,  whose  unflinching  bravery  was  spoiled  by 
his  cruel  and  sanguinary  temper.  Entirely  lacking 
the  good  judgment  of  Cortes,  he  had  in  his  absence 
involved  the  Spaniards  in  ruin.  The  month  of  May 
had  arrived,  in  which  the  Mexicans  were  accustomed 
to  hold  a great  festival  in  honor  of  Huitzilopochtli. 
By  this  time,  the  supremacy  of  the  Spaniards  had 
become  so  established,  through  the  weakness  of 
Montezuma  that  they  asked  the  permission  of  Alva- 
rado to  have  it.  He  consented,  but  in  the  middle  of 
the  night,  when  they  were  all  assembled  in  the  tem- 
ple, unarmed  and  carelessly  engaged  in  dancing  and 
the  festive  ceremonies  of  the  occasion,  Alvarado  en- 
tered with  fifty  Spaniards  and  in  wholesale  destruc- 
tion killed  them  all.  The  population  arose,  and 
when  Cortes  came  back  he  found  Alvarado  and  the 
army  besieged  in  their  quarters  and  at  the  point  of 
being  overcome  by  the  enraged  populace. 

Cortes,  in  dismay,  disgusted  with  the  folly  of  his 
lieutenant,  knew  not  how  to  escape  from  its  result. 
For  several  days  the  Mexicans  attacked  the  Spaniards 
in  their  head-quarters.  Cortes  made  several  sallies 
and  engaged  in  terrible  combats  with  compact  masses 
of  the  natives,  but  always  had  to  retreat  to  his  quar- 
ters, with  losses  that  daily  diminished  his  small  army. 

At  last  he  persuaded  Montezuma  to  ascend  to  the 
azotca,  a flat  roof  of  the  palace,  in  order  there  to  ad- 


LA  NO  CHE  TRISTE. 


1 6 1 


dress  his  subjects  and  exhort  them  to  suspend  the 
attack.  With  repugnance  the  humbled  monarch 
yielded,  and  emerged  on  the  parapet.  Opposite  to 
him,  he  could  easily  discern  animating  the  crowd  who 
surged  below,  Cuitlahuatzin,  his  own  brother,  ac- 
cording to  custom  the  general  in  chief,  and  probable 
successor  to  the  throne. 

Montezuma  was  clothed  in  his  imperial  robes;  his 
mantle  of  white  and  blue  flowed  over  his  shoulders, 
held  together  by  a rich  clasp  of  green  stone.  Emeralds 
set  in  gold  profusely  ornamented  his  dress.  The 
royal  diadem  was  on  his  brow,  and  golden  sandals  on 
his  feet.  He  was  preceded  by  the  golden  wand  of 
office,  and  surrounded  by  a few  Aztec  nobles.  His 
presence  was  instantly  recognized  bythe  people,  and 
a sudden  change  came  over  the  scene.  A death-like 
stillness  pervaded  the  whole  assembly,  so  that  the 
voice  of  the  monarch  was  distinctly  heard.  He  ad- 
dressed the  people  mildly,  but  when  they  found  that 
he  was  urging  mercy  toward  the  stranger,  the  calm 
was  turned  to  fury,  the  populace  redoubled  its  cries 
and  threats,  and  arrows  and  stones  were  aimed  even 
at  the  Emperor,  one  of  which  wounded  him  fatally 
in  the  head. 

The  unhappy  prince  was  borne  to  his  apartment 
below.  He  had  tasted  the  bitter  cup  of  degradation. 
It  may  have  been  the  simple  effect  of  the  wound,  or 
his  despair,  which  determined  him  to  tear  off  the 
bandages,  or,  as  the  Aztecs  think,  a Spanish  dagger 
which  finally  despatched  him.  Not  many  days  after 
this  supreme  insult  by  his  people,  he  died  on  the 
30th  of  June,  1520. 


1 62  THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

Due  respect  was  shown  to  his  memory;  his  body 
was  committed  to  the  charge  of  his  subjects,  and 
borne  by  nobles,  it  is  said,  to  Chapultepec,  to  be  laid 
among  the  tombs  of  his  ancestors,  under  the  sad 
ahuehuetes.  At  least,  this  is  the  received  account. 
A Mexican  story  says  that  on  the  night  of  the  de- 
parture of  the  Spaniards  the  corpse  of  the  monarch 
was  dashed  to  pieces,  by  his  enraged  people,  upon  a 
tortoise  of  stone  which  stood  in  a corner  of  the  pal- 
ace of  Axayacatl.  And  here,  say  the  indios,  wan- 
ders the  melancholy  spirit  of  Montezuma,  under  the 
gloomy  cypress,  restless  and  unable  to  sleep  the 
sleep  of  death,  lamenting  the  lost  Tenochtitlan  and 
the  happy  days  of  the  Aztecs.  Here  comes  also 
Malintzi,  whom,  when  she  meets  him,  the  sad  shade 
accosts : “ Why,  Malintzi,  didst  thou  betray  me  to 
the  stranger,  why  didst  thou  plead  with  me  for  his 
cause  ? ” 

And  the  other  sighs  and  wrings  her  hands  and 
asks  herself  the  same  vain  question. 

There  are  other  shadows,  too,  that  frequent  the 
moss-hung  alleys  of  Chapultepec,  but  these  are  creat- 
ures of  a later  day  and  unheeded  by  the  sorrowful 
phantoms  of  the  victims  of  the  Conquest. 

As  this  is  the  story  of  the  Mexicans,  and  not  of 
the  Conquest  only,  and  as  moreover  that  period  of 
Mexican  history  is  fully  elsewhere  described,  we 
must  pass  slightly  over  the  continued  adventures  of 
Cortes. 

When  the  adventurer  saw  that  the  presence  of  the 
monarch  had  produced  no  good  effect  upon  his  sub- 
jects, he  withdrew  to  head-quarters,  and  after  a con- 


LA  NO  CHE  TRISTE. 


163 


sultation  with  his  captains,  resolved  to  abandon  the 
city  and  to  cut  a passage  for  himself  and  his  army, 
through  the  enraged  assemblage  of  his  enemies. 
This  difficult  and  dangerous  task  was  effected  on 
the  night  of  July  I,  1520. 

It  was  impossible  to  conceal  so  great  a movement 
from  the  Mexicans.  As  soon  as  they  became  aware 
of  it,  they  attacked  the  little  army  on  its  march,  de- 
stroyed bridges  before  them,  while  suddenly  the 
lagoons  were  covered  with  canoas  from  which  show- 
ered arrows  upon  the  Spaniards.  Many  soldiers  were 
killed  or  drowned.  They  set  out  loaded  with  booty 
which  they  had  seized  in  their  palace,  and  their  treas- 
ures impeded  their  progress,  so  that  every  Spaniard 
had  to  choose  between  abandoning  these  precious 
objects  or  saving  his  life.  Quantities  of  gold  and 
precious  things  according  to  the  report,  were  thrown 
into  the  canals. 

Cortes,  himself  under  a thousand  dangers,  suc- 
ceeded in  effecting  his  escape  from  the  city  to  a spot 
where,  under  a large  tree,  he  threw  himself  down  to 
rest,  and  there  reviewed  the  whole  extent  of  his  mis- 
fortune, recognized  the  loss  of  his  most  faithful  and 
bravest  companions,  and  faced  the  maimed  condition 
of  the  last  of  his  army.  Tears  came  to  the  eyes  of 
the  bold  commander,  and  for  a moment  all  his  vigor 
and  energy  abandoned  him. 

Some  few  of  his  companions,  however,  were  left  to 
him.  Alvarado,  on  whom  rests  the  real  blame  in  this 
disaster,  had  escaped  by  a miraculous  leap  across  a 
breach  in  the  causeway  which  it  was  necessary  to 
pass.  Pressing  his  long  lance  firmly  on  the  bottom 


164 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


of  the  shallow  lake,  strewed  with  wrecks  of  every 
sort,  he  sprang  across  the  chasm  to  the  amazement 
of  the  beholders.  Several  others  were  there,  and 
above  all,  Marina  was  safe  in  the  hands  of  some 
Tlaxcallans  who  had  faithfully  protected  her. 

This  fearful  escape  is  called  universally  the  Noche 
triste.  The  tree  under  which  Cortes  sat  and  wept  is 
a venerable  cypress  still  alive.  It  has  been  in  per- 
feet  health  until  a few  years  ago,  when  a fire  was 
lighted  underneath  it,  by  some  foolish  pic-nic  party, 
which  burned  into  its  huge  trunk.  Since  then  an 
iron  railing  has  been  put  up  to  protect  it.  The  pic- 
turesque old  Church  of  San  Esteban  stands  near  it. 
It  is  at  Popotla,  a suburb  of  the  modern  city  easily 
attained  by  tram-cars,  through  crowded  modern 
streets,  where  nothing  is  to  be  recognized  of  the 
calzadas  of  the  Aztecs.  The  line  of  houses  is  broken 
in  one  place  on  the  way  to  Popotla  by  a space  shut 
in  with  a low  wall  and  iron  grating.  Here,  says  tra- 
dition, is  the  very  point  in  the  causeway  where 
Alvarado  leaped  the  breach.  As  there  is  no  indica- 
tion nor  tradition  of  the  actual  width  of  the  chasm, 
our  wonder  is  without  any  limit. 

Cortes  did  not  allow  himself  time  to  repose  or 
despair.  As  the  dawn  broke  he  mounted  his  horse, 
and  gathering  together  such  stragglers  as  he  could 
find,  he  led  them  out  into  the  country  to  the  Cerro 
of  Otoncalpolco,  now  the  Sanctuary  de  los  Remedios. 
Here,  weary  and  discouraged  as  he  was,  he  attacked 
with  his  little  band  the  natives  who  were  defending 
the  teocalli  there  was  there,  and  drove  them  out.  In 
this  shelter  he  took  care  of  his  wounds  and  those  of 


LA  NO  CHE  TRISTE. 


i6s 


his  men,  and  united  the  dispersed  remnants  of  his 
army. 

This  sanctuary  is  now  the  abode  of  an  image  of 
the  Holy  Virgin,  of  which  the  legend  is  that  it  was 
brought  to  Mexico  by  one  of  the  soldiers  of  Cortes, 
and  that  during  the  first  stay  of  the  Spaniards  in 
Tenochtitlan  it  was  permitted  to  be  set  up  in  a shrine 
of  the  great  teocalli  among  the  Aztec  gods.  It  was 
carried  thence  on  the  fatal  Noche  triste,  by  its  pos- 
sessor, when  he  sought  shelter  in  this  very  temple 
with  the  rest  of  the  shattered  Spanish  army.  And 
there  he  left  it  hidden  under  a maguey,  being  too 
sorely  wounded  to  carry  it  farther,  where  it  was 
found  and  made  an  object  of  veneration. 

The  accounts  of  losses  in  this  conflict  are  varying. 
According  to  our  present  authority,  the  Spaniards 
lost  four  hundred  and  fifty  men,  twenty-six  horses, 
and  about  four  thousand  allied  Indians.  On  the 
Mexican  losses  it  is  impossible  to  speculate,  but  the 
artillery  and  firearms  of  their  enemies  must  have 
made  frightful  havoc  in  the  crowds  of  people  who 
swarmed  through  the  streets  during  the  night. 


XVII. 

CONQUEST. 

The  Mexicans  drew  a long  breath  after  the  de- 
parture of  the  enemy.  It  is  true  their  emperor  was 
ignominiously  slain,  covered  with  the  contempt  and 
scorn  of  his  own  subjects.  His  two  sons,  whom  Cortes 
carried  with  him  as  prisoners,  perished  in  the  flight. 
The  streets  ran  with  blood  and  were  strewn  with 
corpses.  The  beautiful  city  was  defaced,  the  cause- 
ways shattered,  the  bridges  destroyed,  and  many  of 
the  houses  burnt  down.  But  it  was  freed  from  the 
odius  presence  of  the  stranger,  who  they  imagined 
would  never  return.  In  fact  the  Aztecs  conceived 
him  and  his  army  to  be  absolutely  annililated.  They 
set  about  restoring  their  tumbled  down  gods  to  their 
places,  and  contemplated  appeasing  Huitzilopochtli 
for  the  indignity  with  which  he  had  been  treated, 
by  a new  course  of  sacrifices. 

Cuitlahuatzin,  brother  of  Montezuma,  was  elected 
emperor.  He  had  fought  valiantly  in  the  struggle, 
and  shown  heroic  courage  in  driving  Cortds  from  the 
capital,  which  it  was  his  determination  to  enforce. 
He  began  the  slow  task  of  gathering  the  army  to- 
gether, and  bringing  order  out  of  confusion,  but  a 
few  days  only  after  the  great  battle,  he  was  attacked 

j66 


CONQUEST. 


167 


by  small-pox.  This  disease,  never  before  known 
among  the  Aztecs,  was  one  of  the  misfortunes  be- 
queathed to  them  by  the  Spaniards.  A negro,  who 
had  just  come  up  with  Cortes,  on  his  return  from 
Vera  Cruz,  one  of  his  recruits  belonging  to  Nar- 
vaez, had  the  malady,  and  died  of  it,  spreading  con- 
tagion in  the  capital. 

Cuahtemoc  succeeded,  the  thirteenth  and  last 
king.  He  was  of  a different  stock,  the  sons  of  Axa- 
yacatl  all  being  destroyed,  of  the  family  of  the 
friendly  kings  of  the  little  neighboring  state  of 
Tlaltelolco.  He  embraced  with  enthusiasm  the 
cause  of  his  country,  and  attacked  vigorously  the 
work  of  restoration.  He  was  but  little  more  than 
twenty  years  old. 

The  tranquillity  of  the  capital  was  but  brief.  In 
less  than  a week  rumors  came  that  the  terrible  white 
warrior  was  not  killed,  but  alive,  strong  and  deter- 
mined as  ever.  Many  of  the  Aztecs  conceived  him 
to  be  immortal,  and  it  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at. 
Cortes  had  gathered  together  the  little  remnant  of 
his  army,  who  crept  along  a winding  route  north  of 
the  city  absolutely  ignorant  of  their  way,  and  what 
they  might  encounter.  When  light  came,  so  that 
they  were  observed,  stones  and  arrows  were  aimed 
at  them  by  chance  natives  from  above.  For  several 
days  and  nights  they  slowly  advanced,  living  on  the 
few  ears  of  maize  they  found  ; for  all  provision  was 
carried  off  from  the  deserted  villages  they  passed 
through  by  the  inhabitants  as  soon  as  they  saw  them 
approach.  Cortes  was  always  brave,  cheerful,  and 
even  encouraging  in  these  dark  days.  In  this  toil- 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


1 68 

some  march  seven  days  were  passed,  and  then  they 
came  upon  the  strange  pyramid  of  the  sun  and 
moon,  at  San  Juan  Teotihuacan,  supposed  to  be  the 
work  of  the  earliest  dwellers  upon  Anahuac,  older 
than  the  Toltecs.  These  they  make  no  mention  of 
in  their  narrative,  and  we  may  well  suppose  they 
scarcely  noticed  them,  for  a sight  more  impressive 
and  awe-inspiring  soon  after  met  their  eyes,  as  they 
turned  the  crest  of  a ridge  they  had  been  climbing, 
— a full-fledged  army  stretched  out  before  them, 
filling  up  the  valley  of  Otumba,  and  giving  it  the 
appearance  of  being  covered  with  snow,  for  the 
warriors  were  dressed  in  white  cotton  mail. 

Cuitlahua  had  lost  no  time.  As  soon  as  he  heard 
of  the  survival  of  the  invader’s  army,  he  wasted  not 
a moment.  No  puerile  fear,  no  fatalistic  paralysis 
restrained  his  understanding.  Ably  seconded  by 
the  warriors  of  the  army,  now  roused  to  the  import- 
ance of  the  occasion,  he  gathered  a noble  army. 
Every  chief  took  the  field  with  his  whole  force,  and 
in  a wonderfully  short  space  of  time  a large  army 
was  collected  and  marched  against  the  fugitives, 
having  learned  their  course  among  the  mountains. 

The  Spaniards  were  but  a handful,  and  the  few 
Tlaxcallans  who  were  with  them  increased  the  force 
but  little.  Gathering  themselves  together,  they 
dashed  directly  into  the  midst  of  the  Aztec  army,  on 
their  horses,  with  the  intention  of  cutting  themselves 
a path  through  the  ranks.  Flight,  and  not  conquest, 
was  their  only  thought.  They  were  soon  surround- 
ed, but  defended  themselves  desperately.  Several 
hours  had  passed,  when  the  chief  of  the  army  was 


PYRAMID  AT  TEOTIHUACAN, 


i ;o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


seen  advancing  on  a litter,  richly  dressed,  with 
plumes  upon  his  head,  a mantle  of  feather-work,  and 
the  banner  of  Tenochtitlan  floating  from  his  shoul- 
ders. Around  him,  to  protect  his  sacred  person,  were 
a body  of  young  warriors,  richly  dressed.  It  was  a 
shining  mark,  and  Cortes  sprang  towards  it  on  his 
charger.  Coming  down  upon  the  prince,  and  over- 
turning his  bearers,  he  struck  him  through  with  his 
lance  and  threw  him  to  the  ground.  One  of  his 
men  sprang  from  the  saddle,  seized  the  banner,  and 
gave  it  to  Cortes  quick  as  a flash.  It  was  all  over 
in  a moment.  A panic  ensued.  The  whole  Mexi- 
can army  fled  in  confusion,  convinced  that  they 
fought  against  odds  too  great,  human  skill  against 
the  power  of  the  immortals. 

The  Spaniards  followed  up  the  flying  army,  killing 
right  and  left,  and  then  returned  to  the  battle-field 
to  gather  up  booty  from  the  rich  costumes  of  the 
dead  and  wounded  left  upon  the  field.  This  was 
the  famous  battle  of  Otumba,  one  of  the  most  extra- 
ordinary in  history,  fought  on  the  8th  of  July,  1520. 
This  encounter  at  Otumba  is  regarded  by  Baudelier 
as  grossly  exaggerated.  He  reduces  the  number  of 
the  attacking  army  to  a much  smaller  proportion, 
but  does  credit  to  the  bravery  of  Cortes  and  his  men. 
He  considers  the  episode,  the  fall  of  the  standard- 
bearer  deciding  the  fight,  as  completely  in  accord- 
ance with  Indian  modes  of  warfare. 

Whatever  remained  to  tell  the  melancholy  tale 
came  back  to  the  capital.  The  inhabitants  were 
filled  with  their  old  terror,  but  Cuahtemoc  retained 
his  courage,  and  only  made  more  vigorous  exertions 


CONQUEST. 


I/l 

than  before,  seeing  that  his  work  was  not  only  to 
restore  the  capital,  but  to  prepare  the  country  for 
another  conflict.  He  collected  great  stores  of  corn 
in  the  warehouses,  fortified  all  the  places  he  consid- 
ered exposed  to  attack,  shattered  the  calzadas,  or 
causeways,  and  got  ready  a large  fleet  of  canoas. 
He  worked  with  all  diligence,  for  he  was  kept  well 
informed  of  the  proceedings  of  the  enemy,  and  knew 
that  Cortes  had  arrived  safe  within  the  boundaries 
of  Tlaxcalla.  And,  indeed,  before  the  end  of  the 
year  the  renewed  attack  began. 

The  distance  from  Otumba  to  Tlaxcalla  was  short, 
and  the. Spaniards  were  not  further  interrupted.  The 
returned  Tlaxcallans  were  received  at  home  with 
great  honors,  and  in  spite  of  the  disasters  of  the 
Spaniards,  they  remained  faithful  to  the  stranger. 
Cortes  reposed  among  them,  recovering  from  his 
own  wounds,  and  giving  his  companions  time  to 
rest  and  refresh  themselves.  Meanwhile,  he  was 
forming  new  projects  and  drawing  closer  the  bond 
of  friendship  with  his  hosts.  The  wise  old  Maxix- 
catzin,  his  first  friend  and  constant  supporter,  died 
at  that  time,  but  the  other  Tlaxcallans  continued 
their  favor. 

By  December,  only  six  months  from  his  return  to 
Tlaxcalla,  Cortes  had  succeeded  in  making  a new 
army  of  respectable  proportion.  Ixtlilxochitl  now 
ruled  undisturbed  over  the  whole  of  Texcuco,  after 
the  death  of  his  brothers,  who  had  resisted  the  cause 
of  the  invaders.  He  was  the  fourteenth  and  last 
monarch  of  his  country,  of  which  he  was  the  greatest 
enemy,  fatal  to  it  as  well  as  to  his  own  race  and 


>72 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


family.  From  the  beginning  a prudent  ally  of  Cor- 
tes, after  the  retreat  of  the  Spanish  army  to  Texcuco, 
he  sent  him  renewed  offers  of  aid,  and  raised  a large 
troop  of  soldiers  for  the  invading  army.  Without 
them  and  other  indigenous  bands  Cortes  would  have 
been  badly  off.  Thus  increased,  his  new  army  reached 
the  reputed  number  of  two  hundred  thousand  men. 
With  these  he  came  to  Texcuco,  by  two  days’  march, 
halting  at  a little  village  at  the  base  of  Iztacdhuatl, 
the  companion  volcano  of  Popocatepetl,  which, 
stretched  like  a corpse  in  its  shroud  of  everlasting 
snow,  bears  the  name  of  the  White  Woman.  The 
Spanish  army  entered  Texcuco  on  the  last  day  of 
the  year,  December  31,  1520,  and  here  was  con- 
ducted to  the  palace  of  Nezahualpilli,  a building 
spacious  enough  to  accommodate  all  the  Spaniards. 
The  town,  as  on  his  first  entrance  at  Tenochtitlan, 
was  deserted,  and  Cortes  learned  that  whole  families 
were  leaving  in  boats  and  by  the  mountain  paths. 
A weaker  heart  might  have  sunk  at  the  repetition 
of  such  intimations  of  dislike,  but  the  Spanish  con- 
queror’s heart  was  inflexible.  Ixtlilxochitl  received 
him  with  all  cordiality,  and  presented  to  him  the  body 
of  fifty  thousand  men  he  had  raised,  a substantial 
gift,  which  was  in  itself  encouraging. 

It  was  a great  advantage  to  Cortes  to  have  Tex- 
cuco for  his  head-quarters.  He  had  caused  to  be 
made  in  Tlaxcalla  thirteen  brigantines  for  crossing  the 
lake.  These  were  put  together  after  his  arrival  and 
launched  upon  the  water,  through  a little  stream 
which  had  to  be  enlarged  by  the  work  of  thousands 
of  Indians,  which  led  from  the  gardens  of  Nezahual- 


COX  QUEST. 


173 


coyotl  to  the  lake.  These  brigantines,  constructed 
in  part  of  the  timbers  of  his  own  ships  which  he  had 
left  scuttled  at  Vera  Cruz,  supplemented  by  quanti- 
ties of  native  canoas,  made  a respectable  fleet.  Dur- 
ing these  preparations  Cortes  was  bringing  the  whole 
neighborhood  into  his  control,  either  by  conquest  or 
negotiation.  As  we  have  seen,  the  Mexicans  were 
by  no  means  beloved  by  the  smaller  powers.  It  was 
not  until  the  latter  part  of  May,  1521,  that  the  reg- 
ular siege  of  the  city  of  Mexico  began.  The  first 
division  of  the  army  was  given  to  the  formidable 
Pedro  de  Alvarado,  called  by  the  Mexicans  Tona- 
tiah,  which  means  the  sun,  or  all  powerful.  The  sec- 
ond division  was  assigned  to  Christobal  de  Olid,  and 
the  third  to  Gonzalo  de  Sandoval.  These  three  were 
all  his  trusty  companions,  who  had  shown  them- 
selves from  the  first  as  daring,  as  enduring,  as  in- 
vincible as  himself.  Only  in  the  characteristics  of 
superior  forethought,  judgment,  and  tact  did  Cortes 
exceed  them.  To  himself  he  reserved  the  conduct 
of  the  brigantines  upon  the  lake. 

The  whole  campaign  against  Mexico  lasted  eight 
months,  while  the  siege  proper  was  maintained  for 
eighty  days.  The  Spaniards  attacked  time  and 
again  with  their  artillery,  and  slew  thousands  of 
Mexicans.  They  penetrated  even  to  the  heart  of  the 
capital  but  were  driven  back.  Cortes  himself,  and  all 
his  captains,  ran  several  times  great  risk  of  being  slain 
or  taken  prisoners.  The  native  allies  could  not  be, 
or  were  not,  restrained  from  plundering  and  burning 
houses  and  killing  men,  women,  and  children. 

Upon  the  lake  the  brigantines  besides  assisting 


17  4 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

the  land  attack,  mastered  and  sank  the  canoes  of  the 
enemy  in  great  numbers.  The  temples  were  burned  ; 
the  new  images  of  the  gods,  put  in  place  since  the 
first  sack  of  the  teocalli,  were  thrown  down  and  hus- 
tled into  the  lake  ; whole  streets  were  demolished, 
and  with  their  ruins  the  canals  were  filled  up. 

Cortes  made  various  propositions  of  peace  to 
Cuahtemoc,  but  the  brave  young  monarch,  in  spite 
of  the  hunger  which  reigned  in  the  besieged  city,  the 
multitude  of  corpses  heaped  in  the  streets,  although 
he  saw  before  him  the  inevitable  ruin  of  his  kingdom, 
was  unwilling  to  surrender  until  the  supreme  mo- 
ment came  when  further  resistance  was  impossible. 
On  the  13th  of  August,  1521,  Cuahtemoc  was  con- 
cealed in  a piragua , or  boat,  leaving  the  attack,  in 
order  to  command  elsewhere.  His  presence  there 
was  suspected  and  the  boat  followed.  Just  as  the 
pursuers  were  aiming  their  cross-bows,  a young  war- 
rior, fully  armed,  rose  and  said,  “ I am  Cuahtemoc, 
lead  me  to  your  chief.”  On  landing,  he  was  escorted 
to  the  presence  of  Cortes,  who  was  stationed  on  an 
azotca  where  he  could  survey  the  combat.  Marina 
was  by  his  side  as  interpreter.  Cuahtemoc  ap- 
proached with  a calm  bearing  and  firm  step,  a noble, 
well-proportioned  youth,  it  is  said,  with  a complexion 
fair  for  one  of  his  race.  Without  waiting  to  be  ad- 
dressed he  said:  “I  have  done  my  best  to  defend 
my  people.  Deal  with  me  as  you  will,”  and  touch- 
ing the  dagger  in  Cortes’  belt,  he  added,  “ Despatch 
me  at  once,  I beseech  you.” 

The  wife  of  the  captive  king  was  now  sent  for; 
she  was  one  of  the  daughters  of  Montezuma,  and  of 


CONQUEST 


1/5 


wonderful  beauty  it  is  said.  The  captive  pair  were 
treated  with  kindness,  rest  and  refreshment  offered  to 
them. 

It  was  the  hour  of  vespers  when  the  Aztec  mon- 
arch surrendered.  This  was  the  end  of  the  contest. 
During  that  night  a tremendous  tempest  burst  on 
the  fallen  city  of  Tenochtitlan.  Thunder  and  light- 
ning shook  the  shattered  teocallis  and  levelled  them 
to  the  ground.  The  elements  finished  what  the  Con- 
quistadores  had  begun, — the  ancient  city  of  the  Az- 
tecs was  in  ruins. 

After  the  surrender  of  Tenochtitlan,  Cortes  with- 
drew to  Coyoacan,  still  a picturesque  old  town  in  the 
suburbs  of  the  modern  city.  There  he  remained 
while  the  capital  was  rebuilt.  It  is  said  that  he  gave 
a banquet  to  his  captains  in  honor  of  the  victory 
they  had  achieved,  an  occasion  made  genial  by  some 
good  wine  which  opportunely  arrived  just  then  at 
Vera  Cruz.  The  house  he  occupied  with  Marina,  is 
still  to  be  seen  on  the  northern  side  of  the  plaza  of 
the  little  town.  Over  the  doorway  are  carved  the 
arms  of  the  conqueror,  much  obscured  by  repeated 
coats  of  whitewash.  In  the  church-yard  is  a stone 
cross  set  up  on  a little  mound,  said  to  have  been 
placed  there  by  Cortes  himself.  His  first  labor  was 
to  cleanse  the  city  and  dispose  of  the  dead,  then  to 
clear  away  the  ruins  in  order  to  erect  new  buildings. 
The  Spaniards  were  greatly  disappointed  not  to  find 
vast  treasures  belonging  to  the  Aztec  crown,  which 
they  were  convinced  were  somewhere  concealed.  To 
his  everlasting  dishonor  Cortes  allowed  Cuahtemoc 
to  be  tortured  by  putting  his  feet  in  boiling  oil,  in 


TIIE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


1 ?6 

order  that  he  might  reveal  where  such  treasure  was 
to  be  found.  The  king  of  Tlacopan  was  tortured 
also  for  the  same  object,  but  with  no  result.  Both 
victims  were  of  opinion  that  the  precious  objects  so 
coveted  by  the  Spaniards,  if  they  existed  at  all,  must 
have  been  thrown  into  the  lake,  but  the  Spaniards 
explored  in  vain  the  bottom  of  the  shallow  expanse 
and  found  nothing.  If  such  treasures  were  there, 
there  they  still  remain. 

The  country  was  put  under  military  rule,  although 
the  Mexican  chiefs  were  allowed  to  retain  their  titles 
and  nominal  authority.  Cortes  assumed  the  titles 
of  Governor,  Captain  General,  and  Chief-Justice,  in 
all  of  which  he  was  later  confirmed  by  the  King  of 
Spain.  He  had  next  to  make  sure  of  the  subjuga- 
tion of  the  other  tribes  of  Anahuac.  He  organized 
expeditions  and  embassies  to  all  the  peoples  there- 
abouts, and  among  others  to  Michoacan,  where,  as 
we  have  seen,  was  a kingdom  of  strength  and  power, 
which  had  never  surrendered  to  the  Aztecs.  Tan- 
gaxoan  IT.,  when  he  heard  of  the  conquest  of  Mex- 
ico, awaited  his  own  turn  with  terror.  Cortes  at  first 
sent  a peaceful  ambassador,  led  by  a soldier  named 
Montano,  who  returned  after  some  dangers  with  a 
detailed  account  of  the  wonders  of  Calzonzi — the 
name  given  this  monarch  by  the  Spaniards.  Shortly 
afterwards  Christobal  de  Olid  was  sent  out  with  sev- 
enty horses  and  two  hundred  foot  soldiers;  this  force 
was  sufficient  to  subjugate  the  monarch  and  make 
him  swear  allegiance  to  the  King  of  Spain.  After- 
wards Calzonzi  came  to  Mexico  on  a visit  to 
Cortes;  he  beheld  with  amazement  the  ruins  of  the 


CONQUEST. 


i/7 


great  city  which  he  had  never  seen  in  the  days  of  its 
splendor.  The  destruction  of  his  hereditary  rival 
gave  him  much  to  reflect  upon,  and  hastened  his 
willingness  to  accept  the  religion  of  the  Conquista- 
dores.  In  his  ancient  capital  of  Tzintzuntzan  there  is 
a pathetic  picture,  crude  and  of  course  not  ancient, 
which  depicts  the  Tarascan  king  accepting  the  cross. 

During  the  rule  of  Cortes,  Tangaxoan  lived  peace- 
ful!}', enjoying  the  nominal  control  of  his  vast  king- 
dom. In  the  course  of  three  years,  Cortes  greatly 
extended  the  dominion  of  Castile  in  New  Spain,  as 
it  was  then  called ; for  all  his  conquests  were  of 
course  referred  to  his  sovereign,  Charles  V.  of  Spain, 
to  whom  from  time  to  time  he  sent  presents  of  gold, 
specimens  of  the  wealth  of  the  new  possessions.  His 
power  extended  as  far  as  Honduras,  where  Christobal 
de  Olid  was  put  in  power.  At  a safe  distance  from 
his  chief,  Olid  conceived  the  foolish  idea  of  asserting 
his  personal  control,  and  made  himself  king  of  the 
colony.  Olid  lost  his  life  in  this  attempt  ; and  Cortes 
determined  to  go  himself  to  Honduras.  It  was  on 
this  expedition  that,  without  knowing  it,  he  passed 
close  to  the  ruins  of  the  serpent  city,  Nachan,  now 
Palenque.  But,  as  we  have  seen,  Cortes  was  more  in 
the  way  of  making  ruins  on  his  own  account,  than  of 
regarding  the  mighty  ones  wrought  by  time;  and 
had  he  known  of  the  existence  of  the  city,  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  he  would  have  stopped  to  cut  away  the 
massive  growth  in  which  it  was  concealed.  In  Izan- 
capac,  a Tabascan  town,  Cortes  suddenly  ordered  the 
death  of  the  three  royal  captives  of  Anahuac,  whom 
he  had  brought  thus  far  with  him,  perhaps  for  this 


17$ 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


purpose.  On  the  charge  of  a conspiracy  to  restore 
the  Aztec  rule,  they  were  hung  upon  a ceyba  tree, — 
Cuahtemoc,  and  the  kings  of  Tacuba  andTexcuco, — 
all  denying  any  thought  of  conspiracy. 

This  was  the  sad  end  of  the  life  of  Cuahtemoc,  the 
last  of  the  Aztec  kings.  The  rest  of  the  native  chiefs 
died  off  gradually,  so  that  in  a few  years,  all  the  old 
governments  of  the  country  were  obliterated.  Few 
of  the  other  states  discovered  by  the  Spaniards  made 
resistance,  and  none  of  them  any  thing  like  that  of 
the  Mexican.  Remains  of  various  uncivilized  tribes 
retreated  to  the  sierras  or  the  deserts  of  the  north, 
where  they  continued  for  generations  in  perpetual 
war  with  the  white  race. 

During  the  remainder  of  his  life,  Cortes  made  sev- 
eral voyages  to  Spain  to  defend  his  interests  and 
arrange  his  affairs.  In  Mexico  he  employed  the 
greater  part  of  his  time  and  fortune  in  the  discovery 
of  new  lands  in  the  neighborhood  of  Jalisco  and  the 
western  coast.  Finally,  considering  himself  neglected 
and  overlooked,  he  returned  to  Spain  to  make  one 
more  attempt  at  recognition  at  court.  He  was  but 
coldly  received  by  his  sovereign.  His  time  had  gone 
by.  The  wonders  of  Peru  had  eclipsed  the  glory  of 
the  Mexican  Conquest.  He  was  taken  ill,  perhaps 
as  much  of  disappointment  as  disease,  and  withdrew 
to  Seville;  afterwards  to  a small  town  in  that  neigh- 
borhood, Castilleja  de  la  Cuesta,  where  he  died  on 
the  2d  of  December,  1547.  His  body  was  carried 
thence  in  great  state  and  buried  in -the  chapel  of 
the  Dukes  of  Medina  Sidonia.  But  Cortes  had 
ordered  in  his  will  that  his  bones  should  be  brought 


CONQUEST. 


>/9 


in  ten  years  time  from  his  death  to  Mexico,  and  this 
wish  was  fulfilled,  and  the  remains  were  interred  at 
Texcuco.  On  the  2d  of  July,  1794,  the  bones  of  the 
great  Conquistador  were  placed  in  a marble  sepulchre 
which  had  been  prepared  for  them  in  the  church  of 
Jesu-Nazareno,  which  he  had  founded  himself. 
Even  then  they  did  not  rest,  for  in  the  first  years  of 
the  revolution,  so  great  was  the  popular  hatred  of 
everything  Spanish,  safety  required  that  they  should 
be  hidden  ; they  were  secretly  removed,  by  the  or- 
ders of  the  heirs  of  Cortes,  and  by  last  advices,  they 
are  now  at  rest  in  Italy,  in  the  vaults  of  the  Dukes 
of  Monteleone,  his  descendants. 


XVIII. 

doNa  marina. 

DURING  the  two  years  occupied,  with  varying 
fortunes,  in  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  Cortes  was 
always  accompanied  by  Malintzi,  who  was  indeed 
indispensable  to  him  as  interpreter.  Her  tent  was 
always  near  that  of  the  commander.  His  lieutenants 
treated  her  with  consideration  and  respect,  always 
giving  her  the  title  of  Dona. 

Through  his  reverses,  and  on  the  terrible  Noc/ie 
tristc , it  is  said,  that  Malintzi  never  lost  her  courage. 
She  was  put  in  charge  of  some  brave  'I  laxcallans,  by 
Cortes,  who  could  not  have  her  with  him  at  the 
head  of  the  fray,  and  their  devotion  brought  her 
through  the  wild  confusion  of  flight. 

The  long  struggle  over,  Cortes,  as  we  have  seen, 
went  to  live  at  Coyoacan.  Dona  Marina  was  with 
him. 

Now  she  is  happy.  Her  hero  rules  triumphant 
over  millions  of  men.  She  lives  in  a palace,  with 
her  guards,  her  maids  of  honor,  her  pages,  and  es- 
quires. The  long,  sad  days  of  her  youth  of  slavery 
are  at  an  end,  she  has  resumed  her  rank.  She  has  a 
son,  baptized  under  the  name  of  Martin  Cortes, 
whom  she  tenderly  loves,  and  with  this  child  and 

1S0 


DONA  MARINA. 


1 8 1 


his  father,  now  at  peace  with  all  the  vast  empire 
he  has  conquered  for  his  sovereign,  she  passes  a 
tranquil,  happy  life. 

Suddenly,  to  break  in  upon  this  dream,  comes  the 
news  that  Dona  Catalina  Juarez  Cortes  has  landed 
at  Vera  Cruz,  and  is  approaching  the  capital. 

Very  likely  Cortes  had  forgotten  to  mention  his 
marriage  to  Marina.  Perhaps  he  had  forgotten  it 
himself.  But  the  reader  will  remember  Dona  Cata- 
lina, the  cause  of  the  jealousy  of  Velasquez  in  the 
early  days  of  Fernando’s  career.  It  is  said  that  his 
first  ardor  for  her  cooled  off  after  a time,  and  that 
the  marriage  would  never  have  taken  place  but  for 
the  persistence  of  the  Dona.  It  was  not  happy,  and 
the  adventurer  sailed  away,  without  regret  for  the 
cheerless  home  he  left  behind  in  Cuba. 

Her  name  was  never  mentioned  during  the  long 
period  which  passed  between  the  landing  of  the 
Spaniards  and  their  successful  establishment  in 
Mexico.  But  the  deeds  of  Fernando  Cortes  were 
known  to  all  the  world,  and  especially  sounded 
about  in  the  island  whence  he  set  out.  Dona  Cata- 
lina, with  every  right  on  her  side,  set  out  to  join  her 
recusant  spouse,  encouraged  by  Diego  Velasquez, 
who  saw  with  no  pleasure  the  continued  triumphs  of 
Cortes. 

Bernal  Diaz  says  that  Cortes  hated  his  wife,  but  he 
dared  not  bring  down  upon  himself  the  wrath  of  the 
Church  by  ignoring  her,  and  Dona  Catalina  was  re- 
ceived on  her  arrival  with  all  the  honors  due  to  the 
wife  of  the  great  conqueror.  She  made  a splendid 
entrance  into  the  capital,  and  at  once  stepped  into 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  position  of  head  of  his  household,  and  succeeded 
to  the  homage  of  maids  of  honor,  pages,  and  es- 
quires. 

Malintzi  withdrew,  persuaded  of  the  necessity  by 
the  good  father  Olmedo,  who  baptized  her,  trained 
her  in  the  Christian  faith,  and  now,  in  the  hour  of 
trial,  stood  by  her  side. 

Dona  Catalina  was  not  destined  to  enjoy  long  her 
new  state.  The  air  of  the  lofty  plateau  did  not  suit 
her  constitution,  accustomed  to  the  lower  atmosphere 
of  Cuba.  She  died  suddenly. 

At  Coyoacan  there  is  a tale  that  Dona  Catalina  was 
drowned  by  her  husband,  and  the  well  is  even 
shown  to  tourists  into  which  she  is  supposed  to 
have  been  thrown.  This  legend  is  probably  of  later 
date  than  the  time  of  her  death,  but  even  then 
rumors  arose  that  it  had  been  a violent  one,  and  re- 
ports were  rapidly  circulated  about  Cortes  likely  to 
injure  his  reputation  and,  moreover,  that  of  the 
Malintzi. 

At  that  time  Cortes  was  thinking  of  a return  to 
Spain.  He  was  thirty-five,  still  young  enough  to 
thirst  for  a full  recognition  at  home  of  his  great 
deeds.  While  making  his  preparation  for  departure, 
he  heard  of  the  insurrection  of  his  lieutenant  Olid  in 
Honduras,  who  had  declared  himself  independent. 
It  was  necessary  for  him  to  hasten  at  once  to  chastise 
his  boldness.  Aguilar,  the  interpreter,  was  dead,  and 
Cortes,  who  had  never  troubled  himself  to  acquire 
the  Mexican  dialects,  had  to  send  for  Marina  to  ac- 
company him,  as  interpreter  only.  This  caused  the 
rumors  about  the  death  of  his  wife  to  circulate  more 


DON  A MARINA. 


183 

than  before.  Cortes,  warned  of  the  danger,  took  a 
decisive  step  to  silence  all  such  insinuations.  At 
Orizaba,  he  caused  the  sudden  marriage  of  Marina 
with  one  of  his  officers,  Don  Juan  de  Jaramillo. 

Poor  Marina  was  required  to  carry  her  devotion, 
her  absolute  obedience  to  her  chief,  to  the  extreme 
point  of  marrying  a man  she  scarcely  knew.  She 
yielded.  It  is  said  that  she  never  lived  with  her 
husband,  but  withdrew  at  once  to  her  birthplace,  at 
Painala,  where  her  own  family  still  lived  ; that  her 
guilty  relatives  threw  themselves  at  her  feet,  afraid 
that  she  would  have  them  destroyed  by  the  Spaniard. 
She  forgave  them,  and  passed  the  rest  of  her  life 
far  away  from  the  capital,  in  obscurity.  She  died 
young,  when  Cortes  was  yet  at  the  height  of  his 
fame,  before  he  had  suffered  the  mortification  of 
seeing  himself  overlooked  by  the  court  of  Spain. 

Not  long  after  the  expedition  to  Honduras,  Cortes 
carried  out  his  intention  of  crossing  to  Spain.  On 
this  first  visit  he  was,  as  we  have  seen,  received  with 
acclamations,  and  loaded  with  praise  and  honors. 
When  he  again  entered  Mexico,  with  the  title  of 
Marquess  of  the  Valley  of  Oaxaca,  he  brought  with 
him  a Spanish  bride,  Dona  Juana  de  Zuniga,  daughter 
of  the  second  Count  of  Aguilar,  and  niece  of  the 
Duke  de  Bejar. 

So  Malintzi,  if  her  shade  returns  to  wander  under 
the  ahueJmetes  of  Chapultepec,  has  her  own  grief  to 
mourn,  in  addition  to  the  ruin  she  helped  to  bring 
upon  her  people. 


XIX. 

INDIANS. 

The  Conquest  was  complete.  Tenochtitlan  was 
no  more,  and  the  Aztec  kings  with  their  dynasty 
were  blotted  out.  So  were  all  the  other  independ- 
ent states  of  Anahuac,  for  if  here  and  there  a petty 
chieftain  were  allowed  still  to  call  himself  lord  of  his 
domains,  it  was  a mere  form,  to  keep  him  and  his 
people  contented,  while  in  reality  the  Spaniard  con- 
trolled every  thing  throughout  the  conquered  land. 
The  terrible  war  gods  were  overthrown,  their  tem- 
ples and  images  thrown  down  and  hidden  under 
ground.  Even  the  annals  of  the  country,  the 
picture-writings,  which  the  Spaniards  imagined  to 
be  impious  scrolls  connected  with  the  heathen  belief 
of  the  savages,  were  destroyed.  Before  lor.-g  distinc- 
tive names  of  the  separate  tribes  were  wiped  out,  as 
details  of  no  importance,  and  all  the  native  races  of 
the  country  went  by  the  common  title  of  Indies. 

This  of  course  is  the  Spanish  word  for  Indians,  with 
the  same  source.  Columbus  in  seeking  a new  world 
believed  that  when  found  it  would  be  India,  little 
thinking  that  the  earth  he  had  rightly  guessed  to  be 
round,  was  big  enough  to  contain  a whole  continent 
between  the  western  shore  of  Europe  and  the  Indies, 

184 


INDIANS . 185 

a remote  land  almost  fabulous  for  its  riches  and 
precious  stones. 

The  first  natives  Columbus  encountered  in  the 
Western  World,  he  therefore  naturally  called  Indios, 
and  this  name  attaches  to  all  the  indigenous  tribes  of 
America.  So  the  first  settlers  farther  north,  on  the 
shores  of  the  Atlantic,  called  the  red  men  who  came 
to  meet  them  Indians.  But  the  Red  Men  of  the 
north  are  a distinctive  race  from  the  Indios  of  Ana- 
huac.  If  allied  at  all,  they  are  but  distant  relatives. 
Their  color,  their  skulls,  their  brains,  their  manners 
and  customs  are  all  different.  As  we  have  seen,  the 
Nahuatl  tribes  that  migrated  from  Aztlan  belonged, 
with  scarce  a doubt,  to  a people  antecedent  to  the 
Red  Indians  of  North  America. 

Nevertheless,  the  word  Indian  is  so  fixed  in  the 
minds  of  most  of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  as 
belonging  to  the  savage  of  the  tomahawk  and  war- 
whoop,  that  it  is  rather  common  to  fancy  the  Mex- 
ican Indios  to  be  of  the  same  stock.  Many  a reader 
of  Prescott’s  “ Conquest  ” has  been  surprised  to  find 
that  the  natives  who  were  terrified  at  the  approach 
of  Cortes  on  his  war-horse,  were  not  first  cousins  to 
the  Mohawks  and  Algonquins  whom  Parkman  has 
described. 

It  is  necessary  to  dwell  on  this,  in  order  that  any 
fair  opinion  should  be  formed  of  the  native  races  of 
Anahuac,  belonging  to  the  different  tribes  of  Indios, 
descendants  of  Tarascans,  Otomies,  Zapotecs,  Mex- 
tecs,  Mazahuans,  Popolocs,  Zotzils,  Mayas,  etc., 
which  now  form  a large  part  of  the  population  of 
Mexico. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


I 86 

Whatever  are  or  have  been  their  virtues,  they  are 
wholly  different  from  those  of  the  North  American  Red 
Man.  Whatever  their  vices,  they  are  equally  so,  or  if 
similar,  similar  on  account  of  like  conditions  of  life. 
Climate,  inheritance,  and  the  vicissitudes  of  their  for- 
tunes, would  have  caused  them  to  be  somewhat  dif- 
erent  by  this  time,  even  if  they  had  come  from  a com- 
mon stock,  but  this  is  absolutely  not  the  case,  and  long 
before  the  time  of  the  Conquest,  the  characteristics 
of  the  Nahuatl  race,  which  still  cling  to  their  present 
descendants,  were  as  strongly  marked  as  those  of  the 
Red  Man,  while  they  were  widely  remote  from  them. 

The  indigenous  inhabitants  of  Mexico,  however, 
have  as  good  a right  to  the  name,  wholly  unappro- 
priate in  either  case,  of  Indian , as  the  “ North  Amer- 
ican Savage  ” has.  This  latter  title  would  be  totally 
misapplied  in  connection  with  the  native  Mexicans, 
because  for  long  generations,  these  have  been  above 
the  level  of  wild  men.  After  the  Conquest,  for  years 
the  Spaniards  were  disturbed  by  remaining  savage 
tribes  who,  resisting  civilization,  had  retreated  to  the 
woods  and  mountains  ; but  these  tribes  have  been 
long  exterminated.  Their  successor,  the  highway 
robber  of  roads  and  mountain  passes,  was  of  another 
breed,  imported,  with  other  products  of  civilization, 
from  old  Spain. 

The  Aztec  dynasty,  then,  was  extinct,  but  the 
Aztec  nation,  a large  population,  even  after  the 
great  diminution  in  the  wars  of  the  Conquest,  re- 
mained on  the  plateau  to  begin  a new  life  under  the 
influences  of  Christian  rulers.  The  horrid  rites  of 
their  old  religion  were  utterly  done  away  with,  relin- 


EARLY  POTTERY. 


1 88 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


quished,  it  would  seem,  with  no  great  regret,  by  the 
common  people.  To  them  there  had  been  no  glory, 
no  gratification,  in  the  wholesale  slaughter  of  the 
sacrifices  to  Ifuitzilopochtli.  The  part  of  their  cere- 
monies which  appealed  to  their  source  of  enjoyment 
was  the  feasting  and  dancing,  and  general  rejoicing 
on  such  occasions. 

The  first  government  of  the  Spaniards  was  a mili- 
tary one,  whose  chief  was  Fernando  Cortes.  He 
had  wisely  surrounded  himself  by  a body  of  advisers 
or  approvers,  in  the  early  time  of  founding  Vera 
Cruz  when  he  established  the  Ayuntamiento , com- 
posed of  his  companions  of  the  voyage.  This  organ- 
ization was  maintained  during  the  time  of  Cortes’ 
administration.  Its  duties  were  to  found  new  cities, 
parcel  out  lands  and  farms  among  the  colonists,  es- 
tablish markets,  regulate  sanitary  conditions,  and  en- 
force the  laws  ; thus  standing  between  the  natives  and 
new  settlers,  who  began  to  enter  the  country.  Many 
of  the  rules  and  ordinances  of  the  early  Ayunta- 
mientos  are  still  in  force. 

On  account  of  complaints  which  reached  the  court 
of  Spain,  against  the  rule  thus  established  by  Cortes, 
the  king  resolved  to  put  the  new  country  in  the 
hands  of  a body  of  magistrates  who  should  be  obeyed 
by  all  the  governors  of  provinces,  representing  the 
person  of  the  monarch  and  enforcing  his  authority. 
The  members  of  the  first  Audiencia  arrived  in  Vera 
Cruz  on  the  6th  of  December,  1528.  There  were 
five  of  them  ; their  president  was  Nuno  de  Guzman, 
a cruel  and  sanguinary  man,  whose  despotism  left 
the  most  bitter  recollections  throughout  the  country. 


INDIAN’S. 


189 


With  his  oidores,  as  the  other  members  were  called, 
he  displayed  the  greatest  cruelty  toward  the  Indians, 
in  direct  disobedience  to  his  instructions,  which  were 
to  treat  them  with  the  greatest  gentleness;  he  con- 
tinued the  traffic  in  slaves,  by  which  he  and  his 
Audiencia  expected  to  enrich  themselves.  They 
quarrelled  with  the  ecclesiastics  and  religious  orders, 
so  that  they  were  excommunicated  by  the  bishop,  in 
return  for  which  they  broke  up  by  force  a religious 
procession  in  the  streets  of  the  capital.  In  short, 
they  made  themselves  intolerable  alike  to  natives 
and  colonists.  Nuno  de  Guzman,  finding  himself 
thus  unpopular,  went  away  from  Mexico  in  1529,  and 
paid  a visit  to  Michoacan,  where  he  strove  to  extort 
quantities  of  gold  from  Calzonzi,  who,  as  we  know, 
had  hitherto  escaped  the  violence  of  the  invaders, 
and  was  living  happily  in  his  palaces  of  Tzintzuntzan 
and  Patzcuaro,  nominal  sovereign  of  his  Tarascans. 

Calzonzi  could  not  or  would  not  satisfy  the  greed 
of  the  cruel  Guzman,  whereupon  he  was  burned 
alive,  as  is  shown  in  the  same  picture  where  he  em- 
braces the  cross,  in  the  town-hall  of  Tzintzuntzan. 
Nuno  went  away  without  any  treasures  or  precious 
stones,  and  made  war  upon  the  natives  of  Jalisco, 
founding  in  that  country  a town  which  he  called  the 
Holy  Ghost.  This  afterwards  became  Guadalajara, 
now  one  of  the  finest  cities  in  the  whole  of  Mexico. 

This  career  of  destruction  and  tyranny  came  to  an 
end  by  the  arrival  of  the  second  Audiencia,  sent  in 
response  to  the  volume  of  complaints  which  reached 
the  court  of  Spain.  This  second  body  had  for  its 
task  to  undo  all  that  the  first  had  done. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


I90 

It  published  a royal  decree  which  declared  all  the 
Indians  free,  and  condemned  to  death  all  those  who 
had  made  slaves  of  them..  It  had  the  care  of  diffus- 
ing instruction  among  the  natives,  and  establishing 
the  teaching  of  Latin  in  a college  founded  for  the 
education  of  the  natives.  Its  authority  was  used 
only  for  beneficial  ends,  and  was  of  good  effect  in 
calming  the  agitation  caused  by  its  predecessors. 
The  archbishops  and  bishops,  by  their  religious 
character,  also  exercised  a great  influence  over  both 
colonists  and  Indians,  with  whom  they  were  objects 
of  veneration  and  respect. 

Complaints,  however,  still  reached  the  court  of 
Spain,  which,  weary  of  so  much  dissension,  resolved 
to  send  a viceroy  as  the  supreme  head  of  the  colony, 
to  represent  in  every  thing  the  person  of  the  king, 
subject  only  to  the  orders  received  from  home,  and 
controlling  all  affairs,  civil  and  military,  connected 
with  the  government.  Difficulties  often  arose  from 
quarrels  between  the  viceroy  and  the  Audiencia,  and 
in  extreme  cases  the  will  of  the  latter  prevailed, 
while  advices  from  the  parent  government  were  on 
their  way  from  Spain  ; but  in  general  the  functions 
of  the  Audiencias  were  from  this  time  limited  to  the 
simple  administration  of  justice. 

The  country  of  New  Spain,  at  the  time  of  the 
the  arrival  of  the  first  viceroy,  had  a wide  extent ; 
large  tracts  at  that  time  unknown,  were  afterwards 
explored  and  included  in  its  territory,  through  colo- 
nization by  settlers.  These  lands  extended  over  the 
immense  prairies  of  the  north,  and  included  Texas, 
Alta  California,  Louisiana,  and  New  Mexico,  which 
now  belong  to  the  United  States. 


THE  FIRST  OF  THE  VICEROYS. 


Antonio  de  Mendoza,  Conde  de  Tendilla,  was 
the  first  viceroy  sent  by  Charles  V.  to  New  Spain. 
He  arrived  in  the  autumn  of  1535. 

He  belonged  to  the  great  Spanish  family  of 
Mendoza,  which  counted  twenty-three  generations, 
and  claimed  descent  from  the  Cid  himself.  Better 
than  this,  he  had  a well-balanced  and  moderate  char- 
acter, and  governed  the  country  with  justice  and 
generosity  combined.  He  had  no  intention  of 
enriching  himself  by  his  position,  but  at  heart  put 
the  interests  of  the  Spanish  colonists  before  every 
other  consideration,  except  those  of  the  Indians,  for 
whose  welfare  he  had  from  the  first  a genuine  re- 
gard. It  would  seem  that  Charles  V.,  harassed  as 
he  was  with  the  intrigues  and  difficulties  of  his  own 
empire,  already  revolving  the  design  which  he  put 
in  practice  later,  of  retiring  from  the  world,  had 
himself  selected  for  his  first  representative  in  the  new 
country  a man  whom  he  knew  personally  to  be 
equal  to  the  task,  one  not  only  of  noble  blood,  but 
honorable  character. 

Mendoza  set  himself  to  reform  the  abuses  which 
had  already  appeared,  protected  the  Indians  from  the 

191 


I 92 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


humiliations  which  the  newly  arrived  Spaniards  were 
disposed  to  put  upon  them  ; he  stimulated  all 
branches  of  agriculture,  and  finding  the  natives  were 
already  well  informed  in  the  cultivation  of  land,  he 
encouraged  them  in  this  pursuit  by  all  possible 
efforts. 

In  order  to  develop  the  growth  and  manufacture 
of  wool  he  caused  sheep  of  fine  breed  to  be  brought 
from  Spain  ; he  encouraged  the  silk  industry,  and 
all  employments  coming  from  the  productions  of  the 
earth,  which  the  climate  of  Mexico  greatly  favors. 

Before  his  arrival  the  Franciscan  brotherhood  had 
founded  several  convents.  As  early  as  1521  Cortes, 
after  the  conquest  of  Tenochtitlan,  had  sent  home 
an  urgent  request  that  priests  should  be  sent  from 
Spain  to  convert  the  heathen  in  the  new  province. 
For  Cortes,  through  all  his  undertaking,  earnestly  re- 
garded his  mission  as  a crusade  against  the  unbe- 
liever ; he  never  hesitated  to  destroy  the  temples 
and  gods  of  the  Aztecs,  and  his  first  step  after  vic- 
tory was  to  forcibly  baptize  all  his  prisoners  and 
the  inhabitants  of  conquered  cities  into  the  Christian 
religion. 

As  soon  as  the  knowledge  of  so  wide  a field  was 
noised  abroad,  five  missionaries  of  the  Franciscan 
order  started  for  New  Spain.  One  of  them  was  Fray 
Pedro,  of  Ghent,  a nation  of  Flanders,  who  of  all  the 
early  missionaries  in  Mexico  was  the  most  able  and 
zealous.  He  was  especially  endeared  to  the  Em- 
peror Charles  V.  on  account  of  the  holiness  and 
usefulness  of  his  life,  and  from  him  he  was  greatly 
aided  in  his  work  by  grants  of  land  and  sums  of 


THE  FIRST  OF  THE  VICEROYS. 


193 


money.  Later  twelve  missionaries  were  sent  out  by 
order  of  the  Emperor,  and  protected  by  a Bull  from 
the  Pope.  These  “ twelve  apostles  of  Mexico,”  as 
they  are  usually  called,  arrived  in  1524.  Their 
leader  was  Fray  Martin  de  Valencia,  who  bore  the 
title  of  Vicar  of  New  Spain. 

To  the  religious  orders  in  Mexico  is  due  in  great 
measure  the  firm  base  upon  which  the  government 
of  Spain  was  established  there.  The  new  vice- 
roy fully  recognized  this,  and  encouraged  the  foun- 
dations of  colleges  and  schools  already  undertaken 
by  them. 

In  every  way  he  promoted  the  prosperity  and 
growth  of  the  country,  and  had  the  satisfaction  in 
the  course  of  his  government,  which  lasted  fifteen 
years,  to  see  every  thing  bear  the  marks  of  his  judg- 
ment and  enterprise. 

It  was  he  who  founded  two  cities  which  have 
reached  great  importance.  The  first  was  Guadalajara, 
near  the  site  where  Nuno  de  Guzman  had  estab- 
lished a town  under  the  name  Espiritu  Santo,  in  the 
state  of  Jalisco.  Mendoza  removed  it  from  its  first 
situation  to  the  one  it  now  occupies.  It  has  become 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  flourishing  cities  in 
Mexico,  and  at  the  present  time  it  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting,  because,  as  it  has  been  until  very 
lately  remote  from  railroad  communication,  it  has 
preserved  all  the  early  characteristics  of  Spanish- 
Mexican  civilization  which  attended  its  foundation 
and  first  growth.  There  may  still  be  seen  many 
customs  and  peculiarities  of  old  Spanish  life,  which 
are  fast  disappearing  from  the  Peninsula.  The  citi- 


194 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


zens  are  well  educated,  highly  cultivated,  with  the 
manners  of  the  pure  hidalgo,  and  the  houses  contain 
relics  and  mementos  of  the  past  of  Mexico,  such  as 
are  nowhere  else  to  be  found. 

Mendoza  also  founded  the  city  of  Valladolid,  in 
the  late  kingdom  of  Michoacan,  of  which  the  poor 
King  Calzonzi  had  lately  been  sacrificed  to  the 
greed  of  Nuno  de  Guzman.  This  latter  received  the 
just  punishment  for  his  cruelty.  He  was  imprisoned 
in  1537,  and  shortly  after  died,  “in  misery  and  ob- 
livion,” says  the  chronicle. 

The  large  province  of  Michoacan,  now  one  of  the 
states  of  Mexico,  called  by  the  same  name,  stretches 
from  the  state  of  Mexico  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  It 
contains  some  of  the  most  beautiful  scenery  to  be 
found  in  the  whole  country,  now  revealed  by  the 
National  Railway,  which  runs  from  the  city  of 
Mexico  to  Morelia,  the  capital  of  Michoacan,  and 
farther  on  to  Patzcuaro.  The  ultimate  destination 
of  the  road  is  Colima,  near  the  Pacific  coast.  The 
country  of  Michoacan  was  peopled  by  Tarascans, 
who,  as  we  have  seen,  preserved  their  kingdom  until 
after  the  Conquest.  They  have  always  been  known 
for  their  sturdy  independence,  like  other  moun- 
taineers, for  their  state  is  traversed  by  ridges  of  lofty 
hills,  making  picturesque  effects  of  scenery.  It  was 
in  suppressing  the  Indians  of  Michoacan  and  the 
neighboring  Jalisco  that  the  ferocious  Pedro  de  Al- 
varado received  a blow',  from  which  he  died  in  1541. 

Mendoza  the  better  to  civilize  these  turbulent 
tribes,  chose  a site  for  a city  in  the  midst  of  their 
population.  The  royal  parchment  exists,  sent  from 


THE  FIRST  OF  THE  VICEROYS. 


195 


Spain  by  Queen  Juana,  under  the  date  of  October 
27,  1537,  in  which  permission  is  given  to  the  vice- 
roy— “ Insomuch  as  I am  informed  by  the  relation 
you  have  made  to  me,  that  in  these  lands  you  have 
found  or  discovered  a most  beautiful  site  towards 
the  part  of  the  Chichimecas,  in  the  Province  of 
Michoacan,  in  which,  as  it  is  a place  both  attractive 
and  convenient,  you  wish  to  establish  and  found  a 
city  with  more  than  sixty  Spanish  families  and  nine 
religious  advisers,  for  this  purpose  acknowledging 
the  service  of  God  and  of  the  Royal  Crown,  we  give 
and  concede  faculty  and  license  to  the  viceroy,  Don 
Antonio  de  Mendoza,  to  establish  and  people  the 
said  city.” 

The  day  being  fixed  for  the  ceremonial  of  found- 
ing the  city,  all  the  pueblos  in  the  neighborhood 
were  summoned,  and  a great  conference  of  people, 
both  Indians  and  Spaniards,  assembled  to  listen  to 
the  royal  mandate,  which  was  read  aloud.  Then  the 
commissioners  and  the  governors  of  the  Indios 
kissed  the  parchment  in  sign  of  obedience  ; a mass 
was  celebrated  upon  an  altar,  which  had  been  im- 
provised for  the  occasion  under  a canopy  made  of 
the  branches  of  trees,  for  the  ceremony  took  place 
in  the  open  air.  Thereupon  followed  festivities, 
which  lasted  several  days  ; the  plan  of  the  city  was 
laid  out,  and  lots  assigned  to  the  “ more  than  sixty 
families,”  who  took  possession  at  once. 

Among  the  lists  of  these  families,  of  which  the 
names  remain,  is  Don  Diego  Hurtado  de  Mendoza, 
a connection,  we  may  assume,  of  the  viceroy.  Other 
noble  families  were  later  sent  to  occupy  the  new 


196 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


city,  so  that  Valladolid  had  every  reason  to  hold 
itself  high  as  a town  of  distinction. 

It  was  named  Valladolid  after  the  birthplace  of 
Mendoza  in  Spain,  and  called  always  Valladolid  de 
Michoacan,  in  distinction  from  the  town  in  the  old 
country,  until  the  name  was  changed,  in  this  century, 
to  Morelia,  for  reasons  we  shall  understand  better 
further  on  in  the  story. 

It  is  hard  to  account  for  the  presence  in  Mexico 
of  the  “more  than  sixty  families,”  and  many,  many 
more  which  served  as  nucleus  for  all  the  cities 
founded  by  the  Spaniards.  In  the  prosperous  con- 
dition of  Spain  at  that  time,  when  the  empire  of 
Charles  V.  was  at  the  greatest  period  of  glory,  it  is  a 
question  to  solve  why  any  noble  families  took  the 
trouble  to  risk  a perilous  voyage,  in  those  days  long 
and,  to  say  the  least,  uncomfortable,  in  order  to 
make  a new  life  in  the  recently  conquered  colony. 
Doubtless  the  reports  given  by  t'he  Conquistadores 
of  the  great  wealth  of  the  new  land  attracted  many 
adventurers,  who  left  their  country  for  their  country’s 
good,  thus  seizing  a short  cut  to  wealth  ; but  this 
does  not  account  for  whole  families,  in  numbers 
sufficient  to  settle  city  after  city  over  the  newly 
grasped  possessions  in  the  hands  of  the  viceroy. 
Religious  liberty  was  not  the  motive,  for  here  the 
strong  arm  of  the  Church  was  stretched  as  firmly  as 
at  home.  As  early  as  1527  a royal  order  was  issued, 
by  which  all  Jews  and  Moors  were  banished  from 
New  Spain.  The  Inquisition  was  established  in  1570, 
but  although  the  auto  da  fc  was  of  frequent  occur- 
rence during  two  centuries,  the  institution  never 


THE  FIRST  OF  THE  VICEROYS. 


1 97 


flourished  with  the  vigor  it  acquired  in  the  old 
country. 

The  city  of  Valladolid  flourished  exceedingly.  Its 
native  population  to  this  day  has  the  reputation  of 
being  industrious,  docile,  and  self-restrained.  While 
moderate,  at  the  same  time  true  to  heroism,  jealous 
of  independence  and  liberty,  restless  under  oppres- 
sion, but  easily  led  by  gentleness  and  reason.  The 
character  of  the  Spanish  families  is  hospitable,  their 
manners  open  and  attractive,  while  at  the  same  time 
they  are  exclusive  and  tenacious  of  their  birth,  posi- 
tion, and  religious  belief. 

The  church  of  Michoacan  was  created  by  a bull  of 
the  Pope  Paul  III.  in  1536.  The  queen  of  Spain  de- 
creed that  a cathedral  should  be  constructed  in  a 
suitable  place,  to  be  selected  by  the  viceroy  and  the 
good  Bishop  Vasco  de  Quiroga,  who  was  known  as  a 
friend  of  the  Tarascans. 

Among  the  members  of  the  second  Audiencia, 
which  retrieved  by  its  wisdom  the  evil  deeds  of 
Nufio  and  his  assistants,  was  an  eminent  lawyer, 
the  Licenciado  Vasco  de  Quiroga.  As  the  proceed- 
ings of  Guzman  were  fresh  in  everybody’s  mind,  he 
heard  of  them,  and  at  once  went  into  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Tzintzuntzan  to  relieve,  if  possible,  the  con- 
dition of  the  people  of  Calzonzi.  They  had  fled  in 
terror  from  their  homes,  deserting  the  towns  and 
hiding  in  the  mountains.  Quiroga,  with  great  per- 
severance and  gentleness,  found  them  out,  and  pre- 
vailed at  last  upon  the  poor  Tarascans,  who  came  to 
love  him  with  passionate  devotion.  He  lived  among 
them  until  1536,  when  he  was  made  their  bishop, 


198 


T HE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


having  been  quickly  passed  through  the  successive 
grades  of  promotion  necessary  for  that  purpose,  for 
he  was,  to  begin  with,  a layman  and  not  under 
orders.  While  still  oidor  of  the  Audiencia  he  as- 
sumed the  cares  of  his  office  ; by  the  end  of  the 
same  year  he  had  received  all  the  necessary  orders, 
from  the  tonsure  to  the  priesthood. 

The  city  of  Tzintzuntzan  was  first  selected  for  the 
foundation  of  the  cathedral,  as  the  pueblo  of  the 
largest  population  thereabout.  It  is  now  a forlorn 
Indian  village,  with  straggling  rows  of  adobe  huts 
running  down  a slope  towards  the  lonely  Lake 
Patzcuaro.  Pottery  is  made  there  by  the  simplest 
methods  from  clay  which  abounds  in  the  neighbor- 
hood ; the  people  are  ignorant,  gentle  Indians,  pur- 
suing their  humble  lives  with  the  content  which 
characterizes  the  native  Mexican.  But  behind  an 
orchard  of  large  old  olive-trees  neglected  and  decay- 
ing, is  the  parish  church,  which  contains  a wonderful 
picture,  so  wonderful  as  to  be  startling  among  such 
incongruous  surroundings.  In  the  sacristy,  and 
lighted  by  one  little  window  with  small  panes  of 
glass,  is  a large  and  impressive  canvas,  representing 
the  entombment  of  our  Saviour.  Surrounding  the 
dead  Christ  are  the  Virgin,  the  Magdalen,  St.  John, 
and  other  figures,  all  life  size.  One  of  the  figures  in 
the  background  is  said  to  be  the  bishop  of  Philip  II., 
and  tradition  asserts  positively  that  the  picture  is  by 
Titian.  The  composition,  grouping,  and  treatment 
are  certainly  like  Titian,  especially  the  introduction 
of  a bit  of  landscape  in  the  upper  left-hand  corner. 
It  is  possible  that  the  picture  is  by  the  great  master; 


THE  FIRST  OF  THE  VICEROYS. 


I99 


even  if  not,  the  interest  attaching  to  it  is  great,  for 
it  is  beautiful,  whoever  painted  it,  and  far  beyond,  as 
well  as  utterly  different  from,  many  of  the  altar 
pieces  and  “ old  masters  ” which  abound  in  Mexico 
without  any  value  whatever.  It  is  possible  that 
Philip  II.  sent  the  picture,  or  more  likely  that  before 
his  time  Charles  V.,  who  personally  knew  Quiroga, 
and  possibly  loved  him,  caused  the  picture  to  be 
sent  him  for  his  Indians  by  reason  of  his  devotion 
to  them,  and  the  eloquence  with  which  he  reported 
their  cause  to  his  royal  master.  This  would  account 
for  its  being  in  the  little  church  at  Tzintzuntzan, 
where  the  documents  say  Quiroga  was  bishop  only 
for  one  year.  If  Charles  sent  the  picture,  the  like- 
ness of  Philip  was  taken  before  he  had  come  to  the 
throne,  and  was  only  Prince  Imperial.  As  for  its 
remaining  at  Tzintzuntzan,  instead  of  finding  a fit 
place  in  the  cathedral  of  Morelia,  the  Indians  have 
in  every  generation  absolutely  refused  to  have  it  re- 
moved. It  would  be  a brave  archbishop,  or  secular 
authority  who  should  endeavor  now  to  take  it  away 
from  them.  Unguarded,  it  hangs  in  the  bare  little 
sacristy,  safe  and  uninjured  by  irreverent  touch. 

The  cathedral  was  begun  at  Patzcuaro,  and  was  to 
be,  says  the  account,  “ so  magnificent  that  it  has  en- 
tirely filled  the  imagination  of  all  those  who  can  re- 
member it.”  But  it  was  decided  that  the  ground  it 
was  on  was  too  near  the  lake  to  support  so  great  a 
structure.  In  1550  the  king  of  Spain  sent  to  com- 
mand a suspension  of  the  works,  and  it  was  finally 
built  at  Valladolid,  where  it  now  stands,  a beautiful 
building,  superior  to  the  cathedral  in  the  city  of 


200 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Mexico.  It  was  only  completed  in  1744.  It  stands 
in  an  open  space  between  two  plazas,  where  the  ef- 
fect of  the  two  lofty  well-proportioned  towers  is 
uninterrupted  by  other  buildings.  The  Mexicans 
delight  in  church  bells,  and  the  towers  of  the  Mo- 
relia  cathedral  are  well  provided  with  them,  great  and 
small,  for  all  occasions.  On  a feast-day  of  the  Church 
these  bells  are  ringing  continuously,  filling  the  air  of 
the  town  with  their  joyous  clangor. 

Cortes  was  away  when  the  Viceroy  Mendoza 
arrived  in  Mexico.  He  still  retained  his  title  of 
governor,  with  the  same  powers  always  conferred 
upon  him  ; but  his  long  absences  from  the  capital 
made  it  necessary,  as  he  fully  recognized,  that  some 
other  strong  authority  should  be  established  there. 
Nevertheless,  he  never  got  on  very  well  with  such 
other  authorities,  and  on  his  return  soon  became  at 
odds  with  Mendoza,  who,  in  his  opinion,  interfered 
with  his  prerogatives.  It  was  then  that  Cortes  bade 
farewell  to  his  family,  and  taking  with  him  his  eldest 
son  and  heir,  Don  Martin,  then  eight  years  old,  he 
embarked  for  Spain,  leaving  Mendoza  undisturbed 
in  the  execution  of  his  office. 

It  is  evident  that  the  rule  of  the  viceroy  was 
judicious  and  well  adapted  to  grafting  a new  civiliza- 
tion upon  the  old.  The  native  tribes  were  made 
peaceable  without  a great  deal  of  contention,  and  by 
the  adroit  and  gentle  management  of  the  viceroy, 
ably  helped  by  the  religious  orders  who  came  to  his 
assistance,  readily  transferred  their  old  beliefs  to  the 
mysteries  and  miracles  of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith. 

There  was  genuine  enthusiasm  for  the  viceroy  on 


CATHEDRAL  AT  MORELIA. 


201 


202 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  part  of  the  Indians.  On  the  Central  Railway, 
about  five  hours  out  from  the  city  of  Mexico,  is  a 
station  called  Cazadero,  which  means  “ place  for  pur- 
suing game.”  The  name  clings  to  it  since  1540, 
when  an  immense  hunt  took  place  there  upon  the 
broad  plain  which  stretches  out  in  all  directions. 
This  hunt  was  a pleasant  attention  from  the  Indians 
to  the  viceroy  to  express  their  approval  of  his  ways 
with  them. 

In  1536  was  issued  the  first  book  printed  in  Mex- 
ico, on  a press  imported  by  Mendoza,  and  put  into 
the  hands  of  one  Juan  Pablos.  In  the  same  year 
both  silver  and  copper  coins  were  stamped,  the  lat- 
ter in  the  form  of  an  irregular  polygon.  In  1550 
this  good  ruler  sailed  away  from  Mexico,  where  he 
had  done  so  much  to  advance  the  interests  of  his 
royal  master.  He  passed  on  to  take  charge  of  the 
government  of  Peru,  by  a practice  which  came  to  be 
quite  common — a sort  of  diplomatic  succession  by 
which  the  viceroys  of  New  Spain  were  promoted  to 
the  post  at  Peru. 


XXI. 

FRAY  MARTIN  DE  VALENCIA. 

Don  Luis  de  Velasco,  second  viceroy  of  New 
Spain,  made  his  entrance  into  the  capital  with  great 
pomp,  at  the  end  of  the  year  1550.  He,  like  his 
predecessor,  had  been  selected  with  care  by  the  or- 
ders of  Charles  V.,  if  not  from  his  personal  knowledge, 
and  he  brought  to  his  new  position  qualities  as  ad- 
mirable. His  first  decree  was  one  liberating  one 
hundred  and  fifty  Indians  from  slavery,  who  were 
working  chiefly  in  the  mines,  and  when  the  objec- 
tion was  raised  that  this  industry  would  be  para- 
lyzed by  the  step,  he  stated  that  the  liberty  of  the 
Indians  was  of  more  importance  than  all  the  mines 
in  the  world,  and  that  the  rents  due  to  the  crown 
were  not  of  such  a nature  that  for  them  must  be 
interrupted  laws  human  and  divine. 

He  established  in  Mexico,  for  the  security  of  trav- 
ellers upon  the  highway,  the  tribunal  of  the  Holy 
Brotherhood,  instituted  in  Spain  for  the  same  pur- 
pose in  the  time  of  Isabella.  He  founded  the  Royal 
University  of  Mexico,  and  the  Royal  Hospital  for 
the  exclusive  use  of  the  natives.  He  recognized 
the  capacity  of  these  Indians  for  developing  lands 
hitherto  uncultivated,  and,  in  fact,  favored  them 


203 


204 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


by  every  means  in  his  power,  while  he  encouraged 
the  development  of  all  the  resources  of  the  country, 
especially  the  mines,  of  which  some  important  discov- 
eries were  made  in  his  time. 

The  building  of  the  cathedral  at  Puebla  was 
pushed  with  great  activity  under  this  viceroy,  al- 
though the  building  was  not  finished  until  the  mid- 
dle of  the  next  century. 

Puebla  de  los  Angeles,  second  in  importance  in  all 
Mexico  to  Guadalajara  only,  receives  its  name  from 
the  tradition  that  before  the  light  of  Christianity 
was  shed  on  New  Spain,  the  heathen  used  to  see 
visions  of  angels  marshalled  in  mighty  hosts  in  the 
heavens  above  the  spot  where  the  city  stands.  It  is 
in  the  Province  of  Tlaxcalla,  where  Cortes  found  his 
first  friends  and  stanch  allies,  on  the  highway  be- 
tween the  coast  and  the  capital. 

Of  the  founding  of  the  city  a local  chronicler 
writes  that  the  illustrious  Fray  Julian  Garces,  the 
first  bishop  who  came  to  Tlaxcalla,  fully  shared  the 
project  for  establishing  a town  somewhere  in  these 
parts  that  might  be  a resting-place  in  the  long  and 
weary  walk  from  the  coast  to  the  city  of  Mexico; 
yet  he  was  uncertain  in  his  mind  as  to  where  the 
town  had  best  be,  until  one  night  in  a vision  he  be- 
held a most  lovely  vega,  a plain,  bounded  by  the 
slope  of  the  great  volcanoes  on  the  west,  broken  by 
two  little  hills,  and  dotted  by  many  springs,  and  cut 
by  two  rivers  which  gave  abundant  water,  and  made 
all  things  fresh  and  green.  And  as  he  gazed  in 
pleased  amazement,  the  dream  revealed  two  angels, 
who  with  line  and  rod  were  measuring  boundaries 


•ssnaoNV  soi  aa  viaana 


206 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


on  the  ground,  as  if  they  were  marking  out  the 
place  for  streets  and  squares,  and  for  the  founding 
of  great  buildings. 

Upon  this  the  bishop  awoke,  and  luckily  coming  in 
his  search  upon  the  very  site  that  his  vision  had 
shown  him,  chose  it  for  the  place  of  Puebla  de  los 
Angeles. 

The  city  is  beautifully  situated  with  fine  views  of 
the  volcanoes  ; the  pyramid  of  Cholula  is  eight  miles 
from  it.  It  is  a purely  Spanish  town,  founded  at 
the  earnest  request  of  the  Franciscan  friars,  who  en- 
treated to  be  allowed  to  make  a town  of  Spaniards, 
who  should  cultivate  the  earth  in  the  manner  and 
fashion  of  Spain,  without  the  assistance  of  Indian 
labor  or  the  unworthy  practice  of  Indian  slavery, 
thus  giving  employment  to  many  Spanish  good-for- 
nothings  who  were  going  about  the  country  without 
finding  any  thing  for  their  hands  to  do. 

The  second  Audiencia,  in  whose  time  the  request 
was  made,  readily  granted  it,  and  the  city  was 
founded  in  1532.  Forty  families  of  Spanish  birth 
assembled,  and  the  plan  of  the  city  was  marked  out, 
accompanied  by  the  celebration  of  mass,  as  at  Val- 
ladolid. The  Indians  of  the  surrounding  towns  wil- 
lingly helped  the  Spaniards  in  great  multitudes, 
bringing  them  materials  for  the  first  houses,  and 
singing  joyfully  as  they  gave  their  assistance. 

Puebla  is  so  placed  with  regard  to  the  capital  that 
in  the  frequent  battles  of  the  country  it  has  been 
time  and  again  fought  for  or  invested.  During 
these  periods  it  is  to  be  feared  that  its  angels  have 
been  sometimes  compelled  to  avert  their  faces.  Its 


FRAY  MARTIN  DE  VALENCIA. 


207 


present  name  is  Puebla  de  Zaragoza,  in  honor  of  the 
brave  general  who  defended  it  against  the  French, 
on  the  5th  of  May,  1862. 

Thus  the  efforts  of  the  viceroys  were  ably  sec- 
onded by  the  zeal  of  the  first  ecclesiastics  of  the 
church  of  Mexico.  Fray  Juan  de  Zumarraga  was 
the  first  bishop  presented  by  the  emperor  to  Pope 
Clement  VII.,  in  1527.  The  next  year  he  arrived  at 
Vera  Cruz,  bearing  the  titles  of  bishop-elect  and 
protector  of  the  Indians,  honors  which  he  fairly 
earned  by  his  interest  in  them  and  his  devotion  to 
their  cause. 

These  holy  men  worked  zealously  with  the  natives  ' 
and  by  adroitly  substituting  for  their  heathen  super- 
stitions, the  legends  and  miracles  of  the  Catholic 
Church  succeeded  in  engrafting  the  new  faith  upon 
the  old  without  violence.  The  Indians  accepted 
readily  the  narration  of  the  life  of  the  Saviour,  his 
miraculous  power,  his  spotless  life,  his  death  upon 
the  cross,  but  their  favorite  object  of  worship  and 
reverence  was  from  the  first  the  Holy  Virgin,  the 
mother  of  Jesus.  To  her  they  transferred  all  the 
fervor  of  their  idolatry.  Her  image  has  always 
been  to  them  most  sacred,  her  shrine  the  constant 
place  for  votive  offerings  of  flowers,  ribbons,  and  all 
small  objects  of  familiar  use.  To  the  superstitious 
minds  of  these  people,  it  was  possible  to  introduce 
every  form  of  miracle  without  danger  of  incredulity; 
they  were  soon  closely  bound  to  the  Church  by  their 
faith  in  the  supernatural  interference  of  the  heavenly 
powers,  and  above  all  of  the  Virgin.  These  supersti- 
tions still  remain  in  Mexico,  and  are  so  closely  held 


208 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


by  the  Indians,  that  no  government,  however  “ ad- 
vanced ” in  religious  thought,  has  dared  to  interfere 
with  certain  rites  and  ceremonials,  pieced  upon  then 
ancient  garment  of  faith,  in  the  earliest  time  of  the 
first  viceroys  and  bishops.  The  “ twelve  apostles,’ 
godly  men  who  devoted  their  lives  to  Christianizing 
the  Indians,  have  themselves  become  objects  of 
tradition,  and  their  deeds,  as  handed  down  from 
generation  to  generation,  are  as  miraculous  as  any  of 
those  they  revealed  in  their  day  to  the  simple  and 
credulous  Aztecs. 

Of  all  the  Apostles  the  memory  of  good  Fray 
Martin  de  Valencia  is  most  highly  valued,  and  many 
are  the  traditions  concerning  his  life  and  works. 

An  early  history  of  the  Indians  of  New  Spain, 
written  in  1541,  tells  of  his  life  in  Amecameca,  an 
Indian  village  several  hours  by  rail  south  of  the 
capital,  which  still  preserves  all  the  simplicity  of  its 
earliest  days.  It  was  in  existence  long  before  the 
Conquest.  The  Spanish  army  stopped  there  a couple 
of  days  on  their  first  approach  to  the  city,  kindly 
received  by  the  Cacique  in  “ large  commodious  stone 
buildings.”  Of  these  latter  we  must  doubt.  Near 
here,  Fray  Martin  loved  to  dwell  “ because,”  as  the 
narrative  relates,  “ it  is  a very  quiet  place,  most  appro- 
priate to  prayer,  for  it  is  in  the  side  of  a little  moun- 
tain, and  is  a devout  hermitage.  Close  to  this  house 
is  a cave  devoted  to  and  very  suitable  for  the  service 
of  God.  In  this  he  used  at  times  to  give  himself 
to  prayer;  and  at  times  he  used  to  go  out  of  the 
cave  into  a grove,  and  amongst  those  trees  there  was 
one  which  was  very  large,  under  which  he  went  to 


FRAY  MARTIN  DE  VALENCIA. 


209 


pray  early  in  the  morning;  and  it  is  asserted  that  as 
soon  as  he  placed  himself  there  to  pray,  the  tree 
swarmed  with  birds  which  by  their  songs  made  sweet 
harmony,  through  which  he  felt  much  consolation, 
and  praised  and  blessed  the  Lord  ; and  when  he  went 
away  from  there  the  birds  went  also  ; and  so,  after  the 
death  of  this  servant  of  God  nevermore  gathered 
there  in  this  manner.  Both  these  things  were  noted 
by  many  who  used  to  hold  converse  there  with  the 
servant  of  God,  as  well  seeing  them  come  and  go 
before  him,  as  their  not  appearing  after  his  death.  I 
have  been  informed  by  a monk  of  good  life  that  in 
this  hermitage  of  Amecameca,  there  appeared  to 
the  man  of  God  Saint  Francisco  and  Saint  Antonio, 
who  leaving  him  much  comforted  departed  from  his 
presence.” 

“ Just  outside  Amecameca,  is  a hill,  rising  abrubtly 
from  the  plain  and  closely  covered  with  a growth  of 
ancient  trees,  some  of  them  ahuehuetes  which  rival 
those  at  Chapultepec  in  size  and  venerable  aspect. 
This  hill  is  called  the  Sacro  Monte  ; there  is  room  for 
thinking  that  it  was  sacred  to  the  Aztec  deities  even 
before  the  coming  of  the  Spanish  priests,  and  that 
they  adopted  it  to  carry  on  the  traditions  belonging 
to  it.  However,  this  may  be,  it  was  one  of  Fray 
Martin’s  favorite  retreats  for  retiring  sometimes 
to  an  oratory  which  he  had  made  in  a cave  on 
the  mountain,  to  give  himself  to  special  exer- 
cises of  the  highest  contemplation  and  rigor- 
ous penance.  He  continued  to  labor  in  teaching 
the  Indios,  especially  boys,  for  whom  he  mani- 
fested singular  love ; he  remained  there  but  little 


2 TO 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO, 


time,  because  in  the  following  year,  1533,  he  was 
attacked  with  the  pneumonia  which  caused  his 
death.  This  was  accompanied  by  very  particular 
circumstances.  A few  days  before  he  fell  ill,  with  a 
few  brief  words,  being  in  Amecameca,  he  manifested 
to  his  companion  that  now  had  arrived  the  term  of 
his  life  ; and  he  not  having  understood  this,  very 
soon  believed  it  by  seeing  the  calentura  of  the  serv- 
ant of  God.  As  the  illness  increased  he  was  forced 
to  conduct  him  ro  the  convent  of  Tlalmanalco,  where 
the  evil  having  declared  itself,  the  holy  sacraments 
were  administered.  The  holy  man  seeing  this  case, 
resolved  to  bear  him  to  the  infirmary  of  Mexico  ; 
and,  in  fact,  upon  shoulders  of  Indians,  with  much 
toil,  they  bore  him  to  the  shore  at  Ayotzinco,  two 
leagues  from  the  pueblo,  and  laid  him  in  a canoa  to 
carry  him  by  the  lake.  Scarcely  had  he  entered  it 
when,  feeling  his  hour  arriving,  he  begged  them  to 
bring  him  to  land.  Yielding  to  his  entreaties,  they 
disembarked,  although  he  was  in  a dying  state,  and 
putting  himself  upon  his  knees  and  causing  them  to 
recommend  his  soul  to  God,  his  spirit  joined  the 
Lord,  falling  into  the  arms  of  his  companion,  St. 
Antonio  Ortiz,  verifying  the  prophecy  he  had  made 
many  years  before,  in  Spain,  that  he  was  to  die  in 
his  arms  in  the  middle  of  a field.  As  soon  as  the 
monks  had  notice  of  his  death  they  took  his  corpse, 
and  with  millions  of  tears  of  their  own  and  the 
Indians,  gave  it  sepulture  in  the  church  in  bare 
ground,  without  any  precaution  to  preserve  relics  so 
precious.  After  some  time  the  custodian  learned 
this,  and  hastening  to  Tlalmanalco,  had  him  ex- 


FRA  Y MARTIN  DE  VALENCIA . 


21  i 

hutned,  and  finding  him  in  as  good  condition  as 
when  alive,  putting  the  corpse  in  a box  and  separate 
sepulchre,  had  a great  stone  put  over  it  with  a cor- 
responding epitaph. 

“ The  body  was  afterwards  secretly  moved  to  the 
Cave  of  Amecameca,  where  it  awaits  the  glorious 
day  of  triumph  for  saints  and  confusion  to  repro- 
bates. Many  miracles  are  related  of  the  saint, 
but  more  than  for  these  his  name  will  be  forever 
glorious  in  our  country  for  his  great  virtues,  and 
above  all  for  the  grand  services  which  the  order  he 
founded  for  the  glory  of  God  had  given  to  the  Mex- 
icans during  more  than  three  hundred  years.” 

A further  account  confirms  the  devotion  with 
which  the  Indians,  encouraged  by  the  padres , pre- 
served the  relics  of  the  holy  father. 

“ In  this  cave  are  guarded,  night  and  day,  by  the 
Dominican  monks,  certain  relics  of  this  friar:  a 
leather  cclicio,  a coarse  and  rough  tunic,  and  two 
chasubles  of  native  linen  cloth,  in  which  the  servant 
of  God  said  mass  ; and  on  the  other  side  is  a great 
box,  locked,  which  serves  as  the  sepulchre  of  a wooden 
Christ.  . . . This  sainted  man  died  in  the  year  1534 
and  was  buried  in  the  convent  of  Tlalmanalco,  where 
his  body  remained  untouched  for  the  space  of  more 
than  thirty  years,  since  when  it  has  not  appeared, 
nor  does  any  one  know  where  it  is  nor  who  disturbed 
it.”  In  fact,  for  fifty  years  the  Indians  of  Ame- 
cameca guarded  the  relics  with  great  devotion,  but 
in  secret,  passing  them  from  hand  to  hand,  but 
without  giving  them  up  either  to  Franciscans  or 
Dominicans,  until  in  1884  they  were  discovered  by 


212 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  vicar,  who  collected  them  and  put  them  in  this 
chapel  of  the  Sacro  Monte. 

The  Indians  of  Amecameca  and  of  all  the  surround- 
ing pueblos  greatly  reverenced,  with  strange  ceremo- 
nies, an  image  of  Christ  made  by  the  Indians  of  Ame- 
cameca, and  carefully  preserved  by  them  year  after 
year.  A legend  states  that  long  ago  certain  muleteers 
who  were  carrying  this  image  to  a southern  town, 
missed  the  mule  upon  whose  pack  it  had  been  placed. 
When  the  mule  was  discovered  he  was  standing 
quietly  in  the  cave  upon  the  sacred  mountain,  sur- 
rounded by  all  the  people  of  the  town,  who,  conceiv- 
ing the  Christ  had  chosen  their  cave  for  his  abode, 
purchased  the  image  from  the  muleteers,  and  con- 
structed for  it  in  that  spot  a shrine,  where  it  still  re- 
mains after  three  centuries.  A great  pilgrimage  is 
made  to  the  shrine  on  the  top  of  the  sacred  Mount. 
Every  year,  in  Holy  Week  and  on  Ash  Wednesday, 
the  image  is  brought  down  to  the  parish  church. 
The  annual  fair  is  held  at  this  time  in  the  Market 
Place,  doubtless  a continuation  of  some  ancient  Aztec 
festival  in  honor  of  the  return  of  the  Sun.  All  the 
country  around  assembles,  and  the  culmination  of 
the  feast  is  on  Good  Friday,  when  the  Christ  is  re- 
turned to  his  shrine  on  the  mountain. 

The  good  Viceroy  Velasco  died  in  1564,  having 
governed  the  country  for  fourteen  years.  Both 
Mexicans  and  Spaniards  sincerely  mourned  his  loss, 
giving-  him  the  affectionate  title  of  the  Father  of  the 
country. 

During  the  government  of  this  ruler  and  his  pred- 
ecessor all  the  administration  of  New  Spain,  politi- 


FRAY  MARTIN  DE  VALENCIA. 


213 

cal,  civil,  and  religious  was  established  upon  so  firm  a 
foundation  that  it  could  go  on  in  daily  action  like  a 
well  regulated  machine.  An  interregnum  occurred, 
owing  to  the  death  of  Velasco,  which  was  filled  by 
the  government  of  the  Audiencia,  always  on  hand  to 
come  to  the  surface  on  such  occasions.  There  were 
two  years  in  which  they  had  the  management,  but 
they  did  not  succeed  in  very  much  deranging  the 
harmony  so  well  inaugurated  by  the  two  viceroys. 


XXII, 

OTHER  VICEROYS. 

EVENTS  in  Spain  underwent  great  changes  during 
these  years.  On  the  25th  of  October,  1555,  Charles 
V.,  executed  an  instrument  by  which  he  ceded  to  his 
son,  Philip  II.,  the  sovereignty  of  Flanders.  It  was 
in  Brussels  that  the  ceremony  took  place,  with  all  the 
pomp  and  solemnity  suited  to  it.  On  the  following 
16th  of  January,  in  the  presence  of  such  of  the 
Spanish  nobility  as  were  at  the  court,  the  emperor 
gave  up  also  the  sovereignty  of  Castile  and  Aragon, 
and  then  retired  to  the  Convent  of  Yuste,  weary  of 
the  cares  of  government. 

By  this  act,  Philip  became  master  of  the  most 
widely  extended  and  powerful  monarchy  in  Europe. 
He  was  king  of  Spain,  comprehending  under  that 
name  Castile,  Aragon,  and  Granada,  which,  for  centu- 
ries independent  states,  had  been  brought  under  one 
sceptre  in  the  reign  of  his  father,  Charles  V.  He 
was  king  of  Naples  and  Sicily,  duke  of  Milan, 
lord  of  Franche  Comtb  and  the  Low  Countries;  he 
had  important  possessions  in  Africa;  in  the  true 
Indias  he  owned  the  Philippine  and  Spice  Islands ; 
and  in  America,  besides  his  possessions  in  the  West 
Indies,  he  was  master  of  Mexico  and  Peru. 

In  all  this  multiplicity  of  affairs  entailed  upon  the 


214 


OTHER  VICEROYS. 


215 


sovereign,  Philip  II.  has  maintained  the  reputation 
for  admirable  management,  constant  attention  to 
public  affairs,  and  the  strictest  sense  of  justice.  It 
may  well  be  believed,  however,  that  he  had  not  the 
same  interest  in  the  remote  acquisition  to  his  terri- 
tories which  his  father  had.  Charles  knew  Cortes 
personally;  received  the  first  exciting  reports  of  the 
discovery  of  the  new  country  and  the  rich  gifts 
which  were  sent  him  as  trophies  and  specimens  of 
the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  conquests. 
Philip  had  had  no  part  in  these  things.  Much  of 
his  early  life  was  passed  elsewhere,  absorbed  in  other 
more  closely  personal  events. 

By  the  time  he  became  king  the  exciting  days  of 
the  Conquest  were  over.  Cortes  was  dead.  The 
government  of  New  Spain  was  established.  The 
vital  interest  to  the  monarch  of  Spain  in  his  Ameri- 
can colonies  was  to  secure  the  large  sums  of  gold 
and  silver  that  were  expected  from  them,  and  the 
mines  of  Peru  by  that  time  so  far  exceeded  those  of 
Mexico,  that  the  latter  had  to  take  a second  place. 

Rumors  of  discontent  that  rose  to  him  from  the 
distant  colony  sounded  to  him  “ like  a tale  of  little 
meaning,  though  the  words  were  strong.” 

Under  these  circumstances,  the  character  of  the 
viceroys  was  lowered  from  the  high  standard  adhered 
to  when  Charles  the  Emperor  selected  them  himself. 
To  follow  the  long  list  of  them  would  be  most  tedi- 
ous and  useless,  as  they  passed  in  rotation,  governing 
according  to  the  best  of  their  lights  for  several  years 
in  Mexico,  and  then  passing  on,  either  by  death  or 
by  promotion  to  Peru. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


2 l6 


In  1571  the  Inquisition  was  fully  established,  the 
period  marked,  by  the  way,  with  a formidable  erup- 
tion of  Popocatepetl,  and  the  next  year  the  Jesuits 
arrived. 

The  matter  of  the  Inquisition  had  been  under 
discussion  for  many  years,  a council,  as  early  as  the 
year  1529,  having  solemnly  declared  it  to  be  “ most 
necessary  that  the  Holy  Office  of  the  Inquisition 
shall  be  extended  to  this  land,  because  of  the  com- 
merce with  strangers  here  carried  on,  and  because  of 
the  many  corsairs  abounding  upon  our  coasts,  which 
strangers  may  bring  their  evil  customs  among  both 
natives  and  Castilians,  who,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
should  be  kept  free  from  heresy.” 

The  full  fruit  of  the  declaration  ripened  only  in 
1570,  when  Don  Pedro  Moya  de  Contreras  was  ap- 
pointed Inquisitor-General,  with  head-quarters  in  the 
city  of  Mexico.  The  Indians  were  especially  ex- 
empted from  its  jurisdiction,  only  heretics  from 
other  nations  falling  under  the  ban. 

The  Queinadcro , a burning  place  in  the  city  of 
Mexico,  upon  land  since  included  in  the  Ala- 
meda, was  a square  platform  in  a large  open  space, 
where  the  spectacle  could  be  witnessed  by  the 
population.  The  first  auto-da-fe  was  celebrated  in 
the  year  1574,  when,  as  its  chronicler  mentions 
cheerfully,  “ there  perished  twenty-one  pestilent 
Lutherans.” 

From  this  time  such  ceremonies  were  of  frequent 
occurrence,  but  the  Inquisition  never  reached  the 
point  it  did  in  Old  Spain.  Although  large  numbers 
undoubtedly  perished  in  these,  autos-da-fc , the  num- 


OTHER  VICEROYS. 


217 


ber  of  those  actually  burned  to  death  was  compara- 
tively small  and  insignificant  compared  to  that  of  the 
victims  to  this  religious  fury  in  Europe.  Early  in 
the  present  century  the  Holy  Office  was  suppressed 
throughout  Spain  and  all  Spanish  dependencies,  and, 
although  the  Inquisition  was  again  established,  it 
was  only  for  a short  time. 

Philip  II.  died  just  before  the  end  of  the  century. 
With  him  ends  the  greatness  of  Spain,  which  from 
that  time  declined  rapidly.  Naturally  the  remote 
provinces  felt  the  loosening  of  the  firm  hand  which 
had  controlled  them,  yet  it  is  to  be  observed  that 
the  viceroys  of  New  Spain  under  Philip  III.  were, 
for  the  most  part,  men  of  judgment  and  moderation. 
While  the  government  at  home,  in  the  hands  of 
profligate  favorites,  was  growing  weaker  and  weaker, 
that  of  Mexico  was  becoming  more  firmly  established. 
Spanish  blood  had  descended  into  a new  generation, 
with  Mexican  habits,  thoughts,  and  impressions. 
The  national  character,  as  always  happens  with 
colonists  remote  from  their  origin,  was  becoming 
modified  into  a new  shape  by  change  of  climate  and 
environment.  Meanwhile  the  Indians  were  undoubt- 
edly greatly  improved  by  the  genial  influence  of 
their  new  religion.  They  were  like  children,  for  it 
was  not  the  intention  of  the  Church  to  teach  them 
to  think,  as  they  were  only  too  ready  to  acquire  the 
knowledge  of  how  to  obey. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  city 
of  Mexico  was  overwhelmed  by  inundations  such  as 
had  from  time  to  time  caused  the  Aztecs  great 
trouble.  Their  works  were  quite  ineffectual  against 


218 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  floods  which  invaded  the  city,  and  it  was  evident 
that  some  vigorous  measure  must  be  taken.  There 
was  question,  once  more,  of  removing  the  whole  city 
to  the  solid  ground  of  Tacubaya;  but  this  plan  was 
open  to  great  objections. 

The  engineer  Enrico  Martinez  offered  a plan  for 
the  rescue  of  the  city  which  was  accepted.  It  was 
to  reduce  the  highest  of  the  several  lakes  belonging 
to  the  network  in  the  valley  of  Mexico,  by  diverting 
its  waters  elsewhere,  and  thus  prevent  its  overflow. 
Work  was  begun  in  1607.  Fifteen  thousand  Indians 
were  set  to  sinking  shafts  at  intervals  in  order  to 
bore  a tunnel,  to  lead  off  the  water,  more  than  four 
miles  long,  and  eleven  feet  wide  by  thirteen  in 
height.  It  was  completed  in  eleven  months,  and 
the  event  was  celebrated  by  the  presence  of  the  vice- 
roy himself  with  great  pomp,  who  gave  the  first 
stroke  with  his  spade.  Mass  was  said,  and  there 
were  great  rejoicings.  This  cut  was  call  the  desague 
of  Huehuetoca,  a small  village  near  the  hills  of 
Nochistongo. 

The  canal  proved  too  small,  and  several  schemes 
were  tried  for  enlarging  and  strengthening  it,  with 
varying  and  moderate  success.  The  novelty  of  the 
enterprise  having  worn  out,  people  began  to  think, 
during  a series  of  dry  years,  that  the  peril  from  the 
lakes  after  all  was  not  so  great.  The  engineer 
Adrian  Boot  was  sent  from  Spain  to  visit  the  canal 
of  Huehuetoca  ; having  done  so,  he  qualified  it  as 
insufficient,  in  which  he  shared  the  opinion  of  those 
who  had  not  come  so  far.  He  failed  in  making  it 
more  efficacious,  for,  in  1629,  came  another  inunda- 


OTHER  VICEROYS. 


219 


tion.  In  1614,  the  rainy  season  having  set  in  with 
unusual  violence,  Martinez,  the  engineer,  himself 
gave  orders  to  close  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel,  per- 
haps to  rouse  the  people  to  its  importance,  and  the 
importance  of  not  neglecting  it.  The  result  was 
frightful.  The  whole  city  was  instantly  under  water, 
and  for  five  years  it  was  converted  into  an  unwilling 
Venice,  during  which  the  streets  were  passable  only 
in  boats. 

Martinez,  who  was  put  in  prison  for  blocking  the 
tunnel,  was  released  in  order  to  open  it  again.  This 
he  did,  and  erected  a strong  dyke  which  afforded 
some  relief,  but  inundations  were  always  recurring 
at  intervals,  until  the  whole  plan  of  the  work  was 
altered  by  an  open  cut  to  replace  the  tunnel.  This 
work  was  undertaken  vigorously  in  1767,  and  pressed 
to  a conclusion  by  1789.  The  tajo  of  Nochistongo, 
as  it  is  called,  can  be  seen  from  the  Central  Railway, 
whose  track  runs  through  it,  at  an  elevation  of  fifty 
feet  or  more  above  the  stream. 

Owing  to  such  drainage,  and  the  process  of  evap- 
oration, the  large  lake  of  Texcuco  has  greatly  sub- 
sided, and  the  waters  which  surrounded  Tenochtit- 
lan  have  given  place  to  nothing  more  than  a marsh. 

The  lovely  river  Lerma,  which  winds  through  the 
valley  of  Toluca,  with  fine  views  of  a beautiful 
mountain,  the  Nevada  de  Toluca,  bears  the  name  of 
the  worthless  favorite  of  Philip  III. 

This  Philip  died,  and  his  son,  Philip  IV.,  succeeded 
him,  continuing  the  line  of  royal  favorites,  and 
spending  the  imported  wealth  of  Mexico  and  Peru 
in  the  extravagances  of  his  court,  and  the  exhaust- 


220 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ing  demands  of  frequent  wars  with  England,  Hol- 
land, and  France.  He  left  the  crown  to  his  son, 
Charles  II.,  who  died  without  an  heir  in  1700;  and 
then  began  the  troublous  wars  of  the  Succession, 
which  involved  the  whole  of  Europe.  This  ended 
the  reign  of  the  house  of  Austria.  The  king  whose 
cause  triumphed  was  a Bourbon,  Philip  V.,  and 
Bourbons  continued  to  reign  in  Spain  until  the  latter 
half  of  the  present  century. 

Mexico  took  no  part  in  the  war  of  succession. 
When  Charles  II.  died,  the  ruling  viceroy  was  the 
Conde  de  Moctezuma,  whose  title  was  from  his  wife, 
the  great-great-great-granddaughter  of  the  last  em- 
peror of  the  name.  Events  in  Europe  caused  no 
disturbance  in  his  mind  ; he  quietly  went  on  ruling, 
and  awaited  the  result.  It  has  been  said  that  Philip 
i;he  Bourbon  at  one  time  thought  of  running  away 
from  his  difficulties  at  home,  and  taking  refuge  in 
Mexico. 

Only  one  more  of  the  viceroys  need  be  mentioned, 
the  Conde  de  Revillagigedo,  Don  Juan  Vicente  de 
Giiemes  Pacheco  de  Padilla,  whose  deeds  are  worth 
remembering.  He  found  the  city  in  1787  in  a 
wretched  condition,  unlighted,  undrained,  unpaved. 
Even  a part  of  the  viceregal  palace  was  useless,  be- 
ing occupied  by  the  stalls  of  Indian  women  selling 
things  to  eat,  such  as  tortillas,  and  mole.  The  vice- 
roy corrected  all  these  disorders,  both  in  the  ac- 
counts and  the  morality  of  the  metropolis. 

Revillagigedo  was  honored  for  his  justice,  re- 
nowned for  his  energy,  and  feared  for  his  severity; 
at  the  same  time  he  was  extremely  eccentric,  and 


OTHER  VICEROYS. 


221 


many  anecdotes  survive  of  his  day.  It  is  said  he  had 
the  habit,  like  Montezuma  and  Haroun  al  Raschid, 
of  going  about  incognito,  with  one  or  two  aides-de- 
camp,  to  detect  abuses  in  order  to  correct  them. 
Walking  one  evening  in  the  Calle  San  Francisco,  he 
met  a monk  taking  his  pleasure  much  after  the  hour 
permitted  for  monks  to  be  abroad.  The  viceroy 
went  directly  to  the  convent,  where,  on  making  him- 
self known,  he  was  received  by  the  abbot  with  all 
due  respect. 

“ How  many  monks,  father,  have  you  in  your  con- 
vent ? ” he  asked. 

“ Fifty,  your  Excellency.” 

“ There  are  now  only  forty-nine.  Call  them  over 
and  see  which  is  the  missing  brother,  that  his  name 
may  be  struck  out.” 

The  list  was  produced,  the  roll  was  called,  and 
only  forty-five  monks  presented  themselves.  By  the 
order  of  the  viceroy,  when  the  five  appeared  they 
were  refused  admission  to  the  convent,  and  never 
permitted  to  return. 

A poor  Indian  came  to  the  viceroy  and  told  him 
he  was  in  difficulty,  reproached  with  stealing  some 
money.  He  said  he  had  found  a bag  full  of  golden 
ounces  in  the  street,  and  seeing  an  advertisement 
containing  the  promise  of  a handsome  reward  for  the 
finder,  he  carried  them  to  the  person  therein  men- 
tioned as  the  owner.  The  Don  received  the  bag,  and 
counted  the  ounces.  In  doing  so,  not  unobserved 
by  the  Indian,  he  slipped  two  into  his  pocket,  and 
then  accused  the  poor  man  of  having  stolen  a part 
of  the  money,  and  turned  him  out  of  the  house  as  a 
thief  and  a rascal. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


/>'i4 


The  viceroy  kept  the  Indian  while  he  immediately 
sent  for  the  Don,  and  asked  him  to  relate  the  cir- 
cumstances. 

“ May  it  please  your  Excellency,  I lost  a bag  of 
gold.  This  Indian  brought  it  to  me  in  hopes  of  a 
reward,  but  he  first  stole  part  of  the  contents,  and  I 
drove  him  from  my  house.” 

“ Stay,”  said  the  viceroy,  “ there  is  some  mistake 
here.  How  many  ounces  did  you  have  in  your  bag?” 

“ Twenty-eight.” 

“ And  how  many  are  there  here  ? ” 

“ Twenty-six.” 

“ Count  them  down.  I see  it  is  as  you  say.  The 
case  is  clear,  we  have  all  been  mistaken.  Had  the 
Indian  been  a thief  he  would  never  have  brou  ght 
back  the  bag  and  kept  two  ounces  ; he  would  have 
kept  the  whole.  It  is  evident  this  is  not  your  bag, 
but  another  which  this  poor  man  has  found.  Con- 
tinue to  search  for  yours.  Good-morning.” 

And  sweeping  up  the  gold  pieces  he  gave  them  to 
the  Indian  to  keep  for  himself. 

Many  such  tales  are  still  current  of  this  kind,  ec- 
centric viceroy.  He  rendered  substantial  services 
to  the  country,  and  especially  to  the  city  of  Mexico, 
which  continued  to  maintain  the  better  standard  for 
cleanliness  and  order  he  introduced.  Revillagigedo 
was  calumniated  and  persecuted  by  certain  enemies, 
and  withdrew  to  Spain  in  1794. 

Mexico  during  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  cen- 
turies offers  no  picturesque  situations  to  describe  at 
length.  In  fact,  the  history  of  the  country  is  like 
some  pictures  with  admirable  background  and  sky 


OTHER  VICEROYS. 


223 


full  of  clouds  and  light,  the  foreground  crowded  with 
emotional  detail,  all  of  great  interest,  but  absolutely 
lacking  in  middle  distance. 

The  early  study  of  Mexico  is,  to  those  who  can 
view  it  from  its  romantic  side,  and  put  up  with  its 
troublesome,  unpronounceable  names,  as  attractive 
as  the  landscape  of  the  plateau,  where  the  two  lofty 
volcanoes,  snow-capped,  are  enhanced  by  the  move- 
ment of  heavy  clouds,  and  the  play  of  sunshine  on 
their  lineaments.  In  the  foreground  may  be  seen 
well-built  cities,  with  the  domes  and  towers  of  many 
a church,  regular  streets,  pleasant  plazuclas  shaded 
with  trees,  bright  and  perfumed  with  flowers.  Be- 
tween, there  is  nothing  but  a level  plain,  its  monot- 
ony scarcely  relieved  by  rows  of  maguey  with  stiff, 
bristling  leaves  We  will  hasten  over  the  uninter- 
esting plain,  and  come  to  the  emotional  foreground. 

There  were  in  all  sixty-four  viceroys,  beginning 
with  Don  Antonio  de  Mendoza,  1535,  and  ending 
with  Juan  O’Donojii  in  1822.  For  nearly  three  cen- 
turies they  ruled  New  Spain,  and  ruled  it  pretty 
well,  according  to  their  lights  and  those  from  whom 
they  received  their  authority. 


XXIII. 

HUMBOLDT. 

In  the  time  of  Iturrigaray,  very  near  the  close  of 
the  viceregal  period,  a little  while  before  Napoleon 
invaded  Spain,  Alexander  von  Humboldt  visited 
Mexico.  He  was  a close  observer  of  men  and  cus- 
toms, as  well  as  of  the  natural  phenomena  belonging 
to  his  scientific  explorations.  His  account  of  the 
country  gives  a good  idea  of  the  state  of  society  in 
Mexico  at  the  time  he  was  there,  and  records  the 
progress  it  had  reached  under  Spanish  rule,  in  the 
hands  of  the  viceroys.  The  revolutions,  then  so 
soon  about  to  begin,  destroyed  much  of  this  civi- 
lization ; from  the  ruin  brought  by  many  a battle 
and  riot,  the  country  is  yet  but  slowly  recovering. 
We  may  study  the  description  of  Humboldt  as  we 
might  an  old  daguerreotype,  somewhat  faded,  but 
preserving  forms  and  images  in  reality  passed 
away. 

Humboldt  and  his  friend,  Bonpland,  a botanist, 
left  Europe  in  the  early  summer  of  1799,  armed 
with  all  sorts  of  scientific  instruments,  with  letters 
and  passports  to  admit  them  everywhere,  for  an  ex- 
tended journey  of  scientific  exploration  in  America. 
After  nearly  three  years  in  South  America,  they  left 


224 


HUMBOLDT. 


it  for  Mexico,  arriving  by  water  at  Acapulco  at  the 
beginning  of  1803.  Acapulco  is  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  in  the  state  of  Guerrero.  Humboldt  had 
letters  from  the  court  of  Spain,  which  gave  him 
every  facility  then  accessible  for  travelling  in  Mexi- 


TEMPLE  OF  XOCHICALCO. 

co.  They  passed  through  Cuernavaca,  stopping  to 
see  the  monument  of  Xochicalco  in  its  vicinity. 
Humboldt  notes  the  heads  of  crocodiles  spouting 
water  carved  among  the  ornaments  of  this  temple, 
with  the  comment  that  it  was  strange  to  find  such 
figures  employed  on  a plain  four  thousand  feet 


2 26 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


above  the  sea  and  away  from  the  haunts  of  these 
creatures,  instead  of  the  plants  and  animals  belong- 
ing to  the  neighborhood. 

Without  delay  Humboldt  and  his  companion 
reached  the  capital,  where  they  were  delighted 
with  all  they  saw.  The  Academy  of  Fine  Arts 
was  then  in  a flourishing  condition.  Government 
had  assigned  it  a spacious  building,  and  it  had  a 
collection  of  casts,  finer,  Humboldt  says,  than  was 
at  that  time  to  be  found  in  Germany. 

A small  school  of  engraving  was  opened  in  the 
Mint,  as  early  as  1779,  by  royal  order.  General  in- 
terest in  this  school  became  so  great  as  to  lead  the 
Viceroy  Mayorga  to  project  an  academy  of  the  three 
fine  arts,  painting,  sculpture,  and  architecture.  In 
1783,  under  the  rule  of  the  good  Galvez,  royal  ap- 
proval was  granted,  and  license  was  given  for  the 
existing  institution  under  the  name  of : “ Academia 
de  las  Nobles  Artes  de  San  Carlos  de  la  Nueva 
Espana.” 

The  academy  was  formally  opened  with  suitable 
ceremony  in  1785,  removed  a few  years  later  to  the 
building  it  still  occupies.  Charles  III.  himself  sent 
the  collection  of  casts  admired  by  Humboldt.  For 
twenty  years  it  flourished  in  the  hands  of  competent 
artists  sent  from  the  mother  country.  Then  the 
end  of  that  protection,  and  the  turbulent  days  of 
civil  war,  disturbed  its  even  tenor. 

Humboldt  says  that  even’  night  in  its  spacious 
halls,  well  illumined  by  Argand  lamps,  hundreds  of 
young  men  were  assembled,  some  sketching  from 
plaster-casts  or  from  life,  others  copying  designs  of 


HUMBOLDT.  22/ 

furniture,  candelabra,  and  bronze  ornaments;  ad- 
mission was  free  to  all ; class,  colors,  and  races  were 
mingled  together  ; the  Indian  beside  the  white  boy, 
the  son  of  the  poorest  mechanic  beside  that  of  the 
richest  lord.  In  1839  this  was  changed.  Ma- 
dame Calderon  described  the  casts  as  mutilated,  the 
engravings  injured,  and  the  building  in  disorder 
and  abandoned.  In  this  state  it  remained  until 
the  return  to  power  of  Juarez,  since  when,  with  an 
annual  allowance  of  $35,000,  the  institution  is  doing 
fairly  well.  The  name  is  changed  to  the  “National 
School  of  Fine  Arts”;  prizes  are  given  for  good 
work;  all  teaching  is  free. 

The  equestrian  statue  of  Charles  IV.  was  com- 
pleted just  at  the  time  of  Humboldt’s  visit.  He 
was  present  when  it  was  cast,  and  saw  it  on  its  way 
to  the  plaza. 

The  Cathedral  was  then  new,  and  its  massive  tow- 
ers, with  the  fine  plaza  in  front  of  it,  excited  the  ad- 
miration of  the  enthusiastic  traveller.  A few  years 
only  before  his  visit,  the  great  idol,  Teoyamiqui, 
had  been  discovered,  in  the  time  of  the  eccentric 
Viceroy  Revillagigedo  ; he  would  have  placed  it  in 
the  University,  but  the  professors  there  were  un- 
willing to  have  it  seen  by  Mexican  youths,  and 
they  buried  it  again  in  one  of  the  corridors  of  the 
Colegio.  They  were  persuaded  to  dig  it  up  in  or- 
der that  Humboldt  should  see  and  make  a sketch 
of  it. 

The  Aztec  calendar,  the  stone  of  sacrifice,  and  the 
manuscripts  in  hieroglyph  much  interested  the  great 
man,  but  more  the  natural  attractions  of  the  city. 


228 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


One  of  his  favorite  haunts  was  Chapultepec,  then  in 
good  order,  as  it  was  left  by  the  Viceroy  Galvez,  who 
first  made  a pleasure-house  there,  where  Humboldt 
delighted  in  the  broad  view  of  plain  and  volcano. 
He  loved  to  go,  as  every  one  does  now,  to  the  market- 
place, to  see  the  stalls  of  the  Indians  all  hung  with 
verdure.  No  matter  what  they  sell — fruit,  roots, 
pulque — their  booths  are  ornamented  with  flowers. 
He  describes  the  hedge  a yard  high  of  fresh  herbs 
and  delicate  leaves  built  around  the  fruit-stalls,  and 
the  garlands  of  flowers,  which  divided  the  alleys  of 
the  market,  spread  upon  the  ground  with  little  nose- 
gays stuck  at  intervals,  making  a sort  of  carpet  of 
flowers.  The  fruit,  in  small  cages  of  wood,  was  orna- 
mented on  top  with  flowers.  He  describes  the  pretty 
sight,  at  sunrise,  of  the  Indians  coming  along  the 
Viga  Canal  in  boats  loaded  with  fruits  and  flowers, 
from  Istacalco  and  Chaleo  ; and  gives  an  account  of 
the  chinampas,  or  floating  gardens,  on  the  marshy 
banks  of  these  lakes.  This  invention  is  attributed 
to  the  early  Aztecs,  who  cultivated  the  ground  on 
loose  tracts  of  earth,  bound  together  by  roots  which 
were  either  driven  about  by  the  winds  or  moored  to 
the  shore.  Similar  ones,  he  says,  are  to  be  met  with 
in  all  the  zones.  In  our  day  the  chinampas  do  not 
float,  but  have  the  appearance  of  low,  wet  gardens, 
intersected  by  many  channels  of  water ; they  are, 
however,  pretty  patches  of  gay  flowers  cultivated, 
with  vegetables,  for  the  city  market,  and  a trip  to 
Santa  Anita,  over  the  still  waters  of  the  Viga,  must 
not  be  omitted  from  the  excursions  around  Mexico; 
the  scene  is  charming  in  itself,,  and  haunted  more- 


HUMBOLDT. 


229 


over  by  the  long  succession  of  gentle  Indians,  who 
for  centuries  have  heaped  their  boats  with  flowers, 
and  floated  over  the  dark  water  chanting  low  songs. 

Humboldt  went  to  inspect  the  pyramids  of  the 
sun  and  moon  at  Teotihuacan,  and  afterwards  gave 
a prolonged  study  to  mines,  visiting  first  Moran  and 
Real  del  Monte,  northeast  of  the  capital,  and  after- 
wards Guanajuato.  Long  before  the  arrival  of  the 
Spaniards,  the  natives  of  Mexico  were  acquainted 
with  the  working  of  subterranean  veins  to  find  metal. 
Cortes  says  that  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead,  and  tin 
were  all  sold  in  the  markets  of  Tenochtitlan.  They 
either  collected  grains  of  native  gold  in  small  baskets 
of  slender  rushes,  or  melted  the  metal  into  bars,  like 
those  now  used  in  trade,  represented  in  Mexican 
paintings.  Humboldt  found  the  methods  of  mining 
not  advanced  from  the  sixteenth  century, without  any 
of  the  improvements  known  in  his  time.  The  hard 
work  was  performed  by  Indians,  the  beasts  of  burden 
of  the  mines.  They  carried  out  the  metal  in  bags 
on  their  backs,  going  up  and  down  thousands  of 
steps,  in  long  files  of  fifty  or  sixty,  men  of  seventy 
years  old,  and  children  of  ten  or  twelve. 

The  mine  of  Valenciana,  in  Humboldt’s  time  the 
most  celebrated  of  Guanajuato,  and  the  richest  then 
known  in  Mexico,  was  not  much  wrought  until  the 
end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  although  it  had  been 
somewhat  worked  by  the  early  Indians  and  the  first 
Spanish  settlers.  In  1760,  a poor  man  named  Obre- 
gon,  a Spaniard,  began  to  explore  a new  vein.  As  he 
wras  a worthy  man,  he  found  friends  willing  to  ad- 
vance small  sums  from  time  to  time  to  carry  on  his 


230 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


work.  For  several  years  the  cost  was  much  greater 
than  the  produce,  but  the  pit  grew  rich  as  it  became 
deep,  and  at  last  yielded  quantities  of  sulphuretted 
silver.  When  Obregon,  or,  as  he  came  to  be  called, 
the  Count  of  Valenciana,  began  to  work  the  vein, 
goats  were  browsing  over  the  hill-tops  all  about  the 
ravine  of  San  Xavier.  Ten  years  after,  on  the  same 
spot,  the  climbing  streets  of  Guanajuato  sheltered  a 
large  population  ; and  at  present  it  is  a flourishing 
city,  surrounded  by  a region  all  rich  in  minerals. 
The  produce  from  the  mine  at  Valenciana  has  fallen 
behind  that  of  other  later  veins,  and  scarcely  covers 
the  outlay. 

Humboldt  went  from  Guanajuato  to  Valladolid, 
which  had  not  yet  changed  its  name  in  honor  of  the 
mule-driver,  Morelos,  who  had,  however,  already  be- 
gun to  study  in  the  Colegio  of  San  Nicholas.  Valla 
dolid  was  a small  city  of  eighteen  thousand  inhab 
itants.  Humboldt  says  it  contained  nothing  worthy 
of  notice,  but  an  aqueduct  and  a bishop’s  palace. 
He  could  not  fail  to  admire  the  lofty  picturesque 
arches  of  that  aqueduct  of  warm  yellow  stone,  whose 
long  lines  vanish  in  perspective,  shaded  by  great  ash 
trees.  He  does  full  justice  to  the  beauty  of  Patzcuaro, 
which  he  declares  would  alone  have  repaid  him  for 
his  voyage  across  the  ocean.  Humboldt  spent  some 
time  there,  and  his  memory  of  his  visit  is  still  pre- 
served in  the  name  of  a lofty  hill  overlooking  the 
lake,  named  Humboldt’s  mountain.  The  hospitable, 
courteous  citizens  of  Patzcuaro  still  point  out  with 
pride  his  favorite  points  of  view.  They  fully  appre- 
ciate, as  he  did,  the  attractions  of  their  lovely  lakes. 


HUMBOLDT. 


231 


The  volcano  Jorullo,  twenty  leagues  south  of  Patz- 
cuaro,  was  first  made  known  to  men  of  science  in 
Europe  by  Humboldt’s  account  of  it. 

In  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  site  of 
this  volcano  was  covered  with  peaceful  fields  of  sugar- 
cane, cotton,  and  indigo,  watered  by  artificial  means, 
belonging  to  the  plantation  of  San  Pedro  de  Jorullo. 
In  June,  1759,  for  the  first  time,  hollow  noises  from 
under  the  ground  began  to  make  themselves  heard, 
and  in  September  a tract  of  ground  three  or  four 
square  miles  in  extent  humped  up  like  a bubble. 
Thick  vapors,  smoke,  and  flames  were  seen  to  issue 
from  this  area,  which  rose  and  fell  like  the  ocean. 
Large  masses  of  rock  and  earth  sprung  up  as  if  from 
a chasm,  and  the  highest  of  these  developed  into  a 
volcano,  which  burned  steadily,  throwing  up  lava 
and  hot  ashes  for  several  months. 

The  Indians  were  greatly  terrified  by  such  a spec- 
tacle, as  well  they  might  be.  Flames  were  seen  at  Patz- 
cuaro,  and  even  at  Oueretaro,  many  miles  away.  The 
roofs  of  houses  were  covered  with  ashes,  and  the  rich 
plantations  of  San  Pedro  reduced  to  a barren  plain. 
They  believed  that  some  missionary  monks  who 
were  ill  received  at  the  plantation  poured  out  hoi  rid 
imprecations  upon  the  fertile  spot,  and  prophesied 
that  it  should  be  swallowed  up  by  flames  rising  out 
of  the  earth.  Whether  these  vindictive  monks  had 
anything  to  do  with  it  or  no,  the  hacienda  of  Jorullo 
was  destroyed,  all  the  trees  thrown  down  and  buried 
in  sand  and  ashes  from  the  volcano.  The  field  and 
roads  were  covered  with  sand,  crops  destroyed,  and 
flocks  perished,  unable  to  drink  the  infected  water. 


232 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  eruptions  grew  gradually  less  and  ceased  dur- 
ing the  following  year,  but  the  mountain,  with  its 
extinct  crater,  remains  in  the  place  of  the  once  fer- 
tile hacienda. 

Humboldt  and  his  companion  inspected  also  the 
great  volcano,  the  pyramid  of  Cholula,  and  the  pic- 
turesque town  of  Jalapa.  They  left  Mexico  by  the 
port  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  went  to  Havana,  spending 
nearly  a year  in  the  United  States. 


XXIV. 

REVOLUTIONS. 

MEXICO  could  not  always  remain  indifferent  to 
the  current  of  events  in  Spain.  Changes  which 
shook  Europe  to  its  uttermost  limit  raised  a tempest 
whose  waves  broke  with  violence  even  on  the  remote 
shores  of  the  province. 

Spain,  after  Philip  V.,  was  governed  by  three  of 
his  sons  in  succession,  the  last  of  whom,  Charles  III., 
held  the  throne  until  1788.  He  was  a prince  of  ex- 
cellent intentions  and  blameless  morals,  and  through 
his  ministers  he  brought  the  country  to  a degree  of 
prosperity  to  which  it  was  little  accustomed  since 
the  days  of  Philip  II. 

His  good  works  extended  as  far  as  Mexico,  where 
he  caused  to  be  founded,  in  the  capital,  the  Acad- 
emy of  Fine  Arts,  still  in  existence.  His  memory 
in  the  days  of  the  viceroys  was  preserved  in  New 
Spain  as  that  of  the  greatest  and  wisest  of  mon- 
archs.  His  son,  Charles  IV.,  succeeded  him.  It 
must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Emperor  Charles  V. 
was  Charles  I.  of  Spain — fifth  Charles  only  of  those 
of  Austria. 

Charles  IV.,  in  no  sense  a relative  of  Charles  V., 
being  a Bourbon  with  instincts  and  traditions  wholly 


233 


234 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


different,  was  a weak  and  pitiful  sovereign.  During 
his  reign  came  the  French  Revolution,  following 
close  upon  the  Declaration  of  Independence  of  the 
United  States  of  North  America,  events  which  gave 
cause  for  reflection  to  all  vassals  of  crowned  heads, 
and  especially  to  all  colonized  provinces  remote 
from  their  heads.  Yet  Mexico  remained  loyal  in 
spite  of  the  petty  tyranny  of  the  viceroy  sent  from 
the  court  of  Charles,  Branciforte,  an  Italian  adven- 
turer of  low  bearing  and  reputation,  who  obtained 
his  appointment  through  the  interest  of  the  royal 
favorite  Godov,  “ Prince  of  Peace.”  This  viceroy 
requested  permission  to  erect  a statue  of  his  royal 
master  in  the  Plaza  Mayor  of  the  Mexican  capital, 
nominally  himself  assuming  the  charges  of  the  work, 
though  nearly  the  whole  expense  finally  came  upon 
the  city  and  private  individuals.  It  is  an  equestrian 
statue  cast  in  bronze.  The  king  is  dressed  in  classic 
style,  wearing  a laurel  wreath,  and  in  his  hand  he 
holds  a raised  sceptre.  Thus  a pretentious  statue 
of  a sovereign  for  whom  they  cared  nothing  was 
forced  upon  the  Mexicans,  while  his  predecessor, 
Charles  III.,  was  left  without  such  honor. 

In  1822  the  statue  was  inclosed  in  a great  wooden 
globe  painted  blue,  so  that  the  sight  of  a tyrant  in 
his  robes  need  not  offend  the  new-born  patriotism  of 
the  city.  But  such  feelings  have  now  passed  away, 
and  it  stands  in  the  plazuela  for  the  observation  of 
loyalist  or  rebel. 

Charles  had  a son,  Ferdinand,  with  whom,  as  is 
frequent  in  the  history  of  crown  princes,  he  could  not 
agree.  Thus  when  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  who,  pass- 


REVOLUTIONS. 


235 


ing  from  conquest  to  conquest,  turned  his  attention 
to  Spain,  both  father  and  son  sought  the  aid,  or  at 
least  sympathy,  of  the  great  conqueror  in  their  fam- 
ily quarrel.  Accepting  this  pretext  for  intervention, 
Napoleon  carried  his  armies  into  the  peninsula  in 
1808.  The  king  and  court  fled  from  Madrid,  with 
the  intention,  very  decided  for  a short  time,  of  seek- 
ing refuge  in  Mexico.  This  project  fell  through. 
Charles  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  son,  Prince  Ferdi- 
nand, who  became  Ferdinand  VII.  But  Napoleon 
wanted  no  Ferdinand  VII.,  and  made  him  renounce 
the  crown.  French  troops  took  possession  of  the 
capital,  and  Joseph  Bonaparte  governed  Spain  under 
the  title  of  king  until  1813.  But  the  Spanish  people 
resisted  the  French  invasion.  Councils  were  assem- 
bled, assuming  royal  authority,  to  govern  in  the 
name  of  Ferdinand.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
Juntas  which  have  since  played  so  important  a part 
in  Spanish  affairs  at  home  and  in  her  colonies. 

We  will  not  follow  the  matter  in  Spain  further  than 
to  add  that  she  was  freed  from  the  burden  of  the  Bo- 
napartes  by  the  aid  of  the  English  in  1814.  A year 
after,  the  power  of  Napoleon  was  at  an  end. 

The  Bourbon  dynasty  was  restored  in  Spain,  as 
well  as  in  France,  and  Ferdinand  VII.  was  rein- 
stated, with  limited  powers,  however,  for  in  the  course 
of  this  period  of  agitation  the  Spanish  people  had 
tasted  the  cup  of  independence,  and  the  ancient  ar- 
bitrary rule  of  monarch  and  favorite  was  no  longer 
tolerated  by  them.  The  Marquis  of  Branciforte,  no 
longer  viceroy,  declared  himself  in  favor  of  Joseph 
Bonaparte,  and  emigrated  to  France.  His  Mexican 


236 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


property  was  confiscated  later  and  handed  over  to 
the  authorities. 

Here  we  must  leave  Spain  to  fight  her  own  battles. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  new  century,  Don  Jos6  de 
Iturrigaray  took  possession  of  the  vice-regal  seat. 
He  was  a man  of  public  spirit,  and  an  excellent 
ruler.  He  greatly  improved  the  highroad  from  Vera 
Cruz  to  the  capital,  built  the  Puente  del  Rey,  since 
called  the  National  Bridge,  protected  commerce,  and 
encouraged  home  industry.  He  organized  a militia, 
greatly  developed  the  army,  and  showed  himself 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  charge. 

But  the  audiencia  then  existing,  and  many  Span- 
iards, as  soon  as  the  news  of  Napoleon’s  invasion  of 
Spain  reached  them,  imagined  that  Iturrigaray,  who 
had  thus  brought  the  army  to  an  available  condition, 
had  conceived  the  idea  of  seizing  Mexico,  and  as- 
suming an  independent  crown  for  himself.  Acting 
upon  this  idea,  they  rose  in  revolt,  took  possession 
of  the  palace  and  seized  Iturrigaray  and  all  his  family, 
shutting  him  up  in  the  fortress  of  San  Juan  de  Uloa, 
until  opportunity  offered  to  send  him  back  to  Spain. 
An  old  marshal  of  the  army,  Garibay,  was  made 
viceroy  in  his  place,  but  he  ruled  but  a few  months, 
when  the  central  Junta  of  Spain  ordered  him  super- 
seded by  the  Archbishop  of  Mexico.  Whatever 
[were  the  rights  of  this  question,  the  act  of  revolt  set 
an  example  persistently  followed  in  Mexico  through 
the  first  half  of  this  century.  In  this  experience  it 
was  discovered  how  easy  it  was  to  overturn  a govern- 
ment ; the  Mexicans,  delighted  with  their  success, 
wondered  why  they  had  never  done  it  before.  In 


RE  VOL  UTIONS. 


237 


this  first  case,  it  was  the  Spaniards,  of  pure  blood, 
who  took  the  matter  into  their  own  hands. 

Revolt,  independence,  were  in  the  air.  The  policy 
of  Spain  had  been  rigorous  in  the  extreme.  Enor- 
mous taxes  oppressed  the  people,  the  colonists  had 
no  voice  in  the  making  of  the  laws,  which  were  arbi- 
trary ; and  their  exaction  depended  on  the  cruelty 
or  generosity  of  the  reigning  viceroy.  These  rulers, 
constantly  changing,  had  no  opportunity  to  incor- 
porate themselves  with  the  people.  At  the  best,  it 
was  a rule  of  strangers,  in  which  the  individuality  of 
the  colony  had  no  chance.  Pure  Spaniards  alone 
constituted  society  in  Mexico;  those  of  mixed 
blood  were  regarded  with  contempt  ; while  the  In- 
dians, native  to  the  soil,  counted  for  nothing. 

It  was  inevitable,  then,  that  revolutions  in  Mexico 
should  follow  those  in  the  rest  of  the  civilized  world, 
but  it  was  hard  upon  the  public-spirited  Iturrigaray 
that  its  first  outburst  should  fall  upon  his  head. 
Great  agitation  followed,  and  the  Archbishop  of 
Mexico  had  hard  work  to  make  good  his  title  received 
from  the  Junta  Central.  He  was  superseded  by  the 
Regency  established  at  home,  and  Don  Francisco 
Venegas  entered  the  capital  as  viceroy  in  1810. 


XXV. 

HIDALGO. 

MlGUEL  Hidalgo  was  born  in  the  rancho  of  San 
Vicente,  between  the  eastern  shore  of  the  river 
Turbio  and  the  hacienda  of  Cuitzeo  de  los  Naran- 
jos, in  the  jurisdiction  of  Penjamo  in  Guanajuato, 
on  the  8th  of  May,  1753,  the  day  of  the  archangel 
Miguel,  whom  we  call  Saint  Michael.  His  father 
was  a well-to-do  farmer,  Christobal  Hidalgo  y Cos- 
tilla, and  his  mother,  Ana  Maria  Gallega.  Miguel 
was  baptized  on  the  16th  of  the  same  month  of  the 
year,  in  the  chapel  of  Cuitzeo  de  los  Naranjos,  and 
passed  his  childhood  at  home  with  his  parents.  At 
a proper  age  he  was  sent  to  school  in  Valladolid, 
at  the  Colegio  de  San  Nicholas,  where  he  pursued 
his  studies  until  he  came  to  be  head  of  the  institu- 
tion. This  school  was  founded  by  the  good  Bishop 
Ouiroga,  at  the  time  the  Cathedral  was  transferred 
from  Tzintzuntzan,  and  was  therefore  one  of  the  first 
in  the  country.  This  fact,  and  the  greater  one,  that 
the  BenemG'ito  cura  Hidalgo  not  only  taught  but 
lived  within  the  walls,  where  no  doubt  he  first  formed 
his  ideas  of  independence,  makes  Morelia  very  proud 
of  its  seminary. 

Miguel  went  to  Mexico  in  1779  to  take  sacerdotal 
238 


CACTUS  HEDGE. 


240 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


orders  and  the  degree  of  bachelor  in  theology.  This 
was  but  three  years  after  the  declaration  of  indepen- 
dence in  the  United  States.  He  served  as  curate 
in  several  places,  and  on  the  death  of  his  brother 
Joaquin  received  the  curacy  of  the  little  pueblo  of 
Dolores. 

He  was  a man  of  intellectual  gifts,  and  good  in- 
struction. He  knew  French,  which  was  uncommon 
at  that  time  in  his  class,  and  his  opinions  on  all  sub- 
jects were  advanced  beyond  the  average  of  the 
period. 

His  predilection  was  the  pursuit  of  agriculture, 
and  at  Dolores  it  was  his  pleasure  to  cultivate  the 
vine  and  the  mulberry.  He  established  a manufac- 
ture of  bricks  and  earthenware  in  the  place,  and 
made  himself  generally  beloved  by  his  gentle  and 
affable  deportment,  notwithstanding  his  radical 
ideas,  which  were  regarded  as  extreme  by  his  people. 
In  the  year  iSoo,  he  was  denounced  before  the 
Committee  of  the  Inquisition  for  maintaining  dan- 
gerous opinions,  without,  however,  any  serious  result. 
Bold  schemes  he  formed  for  the  rescue  of  his  coun- 
try from  the  bondage  in  which  she  was  held  by 
Spain.  In  the  solitude  of  his  pueblo  his  strong,  well- 
trained  glance  fixed  itself  upon  the  light  which  was 
flooding  the  world  from  the  rising  republic  on  his 
own  continent.  This  man,  sprung  from  the  people, 
dared  to  think  of  a government  by  the  people.  He 
longed  to  throw  off  the  yoke,  not  only  of  an  alien 
government,  but  of  a haughty  class.  He  wanted 
Mexico  to  be  Mexico,  and  not  a helpless  dependency 
of  a rapidly  deteriorating  Spain. 


HIDALGO , 


24I 


Such  dreams  and  ideas  Hidalgo  imparted  to  a few 
other  persons,  and  they  became  plans.  Those  who 
talked  these  things  fell  under  suspicion,  and  in 
Queretaro,  an  attempt  was  made  to  seize  a small 
knot  of  such  men.  They  were  warned,  and  fled  or 
concealed  themselves.  Hidalgo,  hearing  of  this, 
instead  of  following  their  example,  determined  to 
delay  no  longer,  but  to  declare  independence  at 
once.  In  this  resolve  he  was  supported  by  another 
patriotic  spirit. 

Ignacio  Allende  was  born  in  San  Miguel  el  Grande 
the  20th  of  January,  1779.  His  father  was  a 
Spaniard,  Narciso  Allende,  his  mother,  Mariana 
Uraga.  Of  a noble  family,  with  wealth  and  good 
position,  he  was  destined  for  a soldier,  and  reached 
the  grade  of  captain  of  dragoons. 

Fired  by  the  ideas  of  independence  which  were 
smouldering  everywhere,  Allende  made  frequent 
visits  to  Hidalgo,  and  with  him  planned  the  details 
for  the  important  step  they  were  meditating.  Two 
officers  in  the  regiment  of  Allende  were  of  his 
opinion,  and  became  confidants  of  the  plan. 

On  the  night  of  the  15th  of  September,  1810, 
roused  by  Allende  or  Aldama,  another  of  the 
plotters,  Hidalgo  rose  from  his  bed,  dressed  himself 
quietly,  and  calling  his  brother  to  his  aid,  with  ten 
armed  men,  besides  their  few  friends,  went  straight 
to  the  prison  and  liberated  certain  men,  arming 
them  with  swords.  This  was  Saturday  night,  or 
rather  the  dawn  of  Sunday.  At  early  mass,  all  the 
parish  were  informed  of  what  had  happened,  and 
every  countryman  in  the  neighborhood  took  the 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


242 

side  of  Hidalgo,  who  thus  became  the  leader,  if  not 
of  an  army,  at  least  of  a respectable  force  of  Mexi- 
cans. The  little  band  hastened  to  San  Miguel  el 
Grande,  which  they  reached  before  nightfall  the 
same  day. 

This  movement,  started  by  Hidalgo,  is  called  the 
Grito  de  Dolores.  The  little  body  of  eighty  men, 
which  soon  increased  to  three  hundred,  bore  for  a 
banner  a picture  of  the  Holy  Virgin  of  Guadalupe, 
belonging  to  a little  village  church.  Their  cry,  the 
Grito , was  “Up  with  True  Religion,  and  Down 
with  False  Government.” 

Nothing  like  this  had  happened  ever  before  in 
Mexico.  That  common  men,  not  appointed  by  the 
court  of  Spain,  should  dare  to  have  an  opinion 
about  letters,  religion,  or  government  was  a thing 
unheard  of.  For  a while  amazement  prevented  any 
vigorous  steps  against  them.  At  San  Miguel,  the 
regiment  of  Allende  joined  the  little  band,  and  a 
crowd  of  laborers  from  the  field,  armed  with  slings, 
sticks,  and  spades.  Out  of  this  raw  material  Hidalgo 
organized  an  army,  with  himself  at  its  head  under 
the  title  of  general,  and  Allende  as  his  lieutenant. 

At  Celaya,  their  numbers  had  increased  to  fifty 
thousand  men — some  say  more.  With  such  a force 
and  supported  by  the  enthusiasm  which  prevailed, 
Hidalgo  resolved  to  march  upon  Guanajuato,  an 
already  rich  and  flourishing  city,  the  capital  of  the 
second  largest  mining  state  in  Mexico.  It  is  built 
in  a deep,  narrow  ravine,  the  houses  crowded  in 
steep  streets  like  stairways. 

Its  inhabitants  saw  with  terror  and  astonishment 


HIDALGO. 


243 


a mass  of  men  advancing  towards  it,  armed  with 
strange  weapons,  but  holding  the  order  and  disci- 
pline of  an  organized  army.  The  Spaniards,  that  is 
the  representatives  of  government,  resolved  to  de- 
fend the  town,  and  prepared  for  the  attack. 

The  Independents  were  driven  back  several  times. 
The  besieged  had  entrenched  themselves  in  the 
strong  place,  Alhondiga  de  Grenaditas,  used  for  stor- 
ing  grain,  with  the  governor  of  the  town  at  their 
head  ; and  there  defended  themselves  so  well  that 
things  were  going  badly  for  their  opponents,  until  a 
little  boy,  called  Pipita,  on  all  fours,  with  a lighted 
brand  in  his  hand,  shielding  himself  with  a flat  tile 
torn  up  from  the  pavement,  succeeded  in  reaching 
the  great  gate  and  setting  fire  to  it,  in  spite  of  the 
bullets  which  fell  about  him.  Amidst  the  blaze,  the 
insurgents  seized  the  stronghold  by  force  of  arms, 
and  killed  or  made  prisoners  all  within  it.  The 
populace  of  Guanajuato  rose,  rushing  about  the 
streets  and  sacking  houses  and  shops.  Hidalgo, 
however,  succeeded  in  restoring  order  by  severe 
edicts.  He  established  himself  in  this  his  first 
stronghold,  to  collect  supplies  of  arms  and  money 
for  his  volunteer  host.  The  whole  province  of 
Guanajuato  declared  in  his  favor,  and  three  squad- 
rons of  the  regiment  del  Principe  swelled  the  num- 
bers of  his  troops. 

Just  before,  on  the  13th  of  September,  a new  vice- 
roy had  arrived  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  little  thinking 
what  the  nature  of  his  new  duties  were  to  be,  or  that 
he  should  be  so  soon  called  upon  to  execute  them. 
Don  Francisco  Javier  Venegas,  lieutenant-general  of 


244 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  Spanish  forces,  had  distinguished  himself  in  the 
war  between  the  armies  of  Spain  and  Napoleon.  He 
sailed  away  from  confusion  at  home,  and  imagined, 
very  likely,  that  he  was  going  to  settle  down  to  the 
peaceable  monotony  of  a life  in  the  provinces.  He 
began  by  calling  a Junta  of  prominent  persons  in  the 
capital,  and  among  other  things  proclaimed  to  them 
that  the  Regency  of  Spain  begged  the  aid  of  money 
from  their  loyal  Americans  to  sustain  the  war 
against  Napoleon. 

Three  days  afterwards  independence  was  declared 
in  the  Grito  de  Dolores.  The  viceroy  learned  that 
Mexico  was  not  behind  the  age  in  revolutions,  and 
that  he  must  call  upon  his  military  skill  to  suppress 
a formidable  rising  in  its  cradle.  He  ordered  all  the 
troops  then  in  garrison  at  Mexico  to  Queretaro,  in- 
creased these  forces  with  rural  troops,  and  sent  for 
marines  to  Vera  Cruz,  while  he  summoned  forces 
from  San  Luis  Potosi,  at  the  north,  and  even  those 
of  Guadalajara,  in  the  west,  to  hold  themselves  in 
readiness. 

He  further  published  a decree  of  the  Regency, 
liberating  all  Indians  from  taxation,  and  put  a 
price  upon  the  heads  of  Hidalgo,  Allende,  and 
Aldama  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  promising  also 
indulgence  to  such  Independents  as  should  at  once 
lay  down  arms. 

The  Mexican  clergy  allied  themselves  with  the 
civil  authorities  on  this  issue  ; the  bishops  excom- 
municated Hidalgo  and  his  companions,  and  furious 
sermons  were  preached  against  them  in  the  churches. 
The  Inquisition  renewed  all  the  charges  against 


HIDALGO. 


245 


Hidalgo  which  they  had  found  in  1800,  and  cited 
him  to  appear  before  them.  Yet  his  cry  was  not 
against  religion,  but  bad  government.  The  Bishop 
of  Michoacan  also  excommunicated  him,  and  set  at 
once  upon  preparing  the  defence  of  Valladolid  as 
soon  as  he  heard  the  echo  of  the  Grito  de  Dolores. 

In  fact,  excomunication  from  various  dioceses  rat- 
tled round  the  heads  of  the  insurgents,  who  kept  on 
their  way  little  heeding  so  much  mighty  sound. 

On  the  17th  of  October  the  Independent  troops 
entered  Valladolid  without  resistance,  the  valiant 
bishop  having  fled  to  Mexico  at  the  first  sign  of  his 
approach,  together  with  the  civil  and  military  author- 
ities, and  many  Europeans  settled  in  that  hitherto 
peaceful  town.  Hidalgo  compelled  the  canons  in 
the  absence  of  the  bishop  to  remove  the  excommu- 
nication fulminated  against  him  and  his  companions. 
He  established  his  authority  in  the  place,  and  in  ten 
days,  with  his  ever-swelling  army,  took  the  bold  step 
of  advancing  upon  the  capital. 

As  this  terrible  band  approached,  the  inhabitants 
of  Mexico,  remembering  Guanajuato,  were  filled  with 
fear.  Some  hid  their  plate  in  the  convents  ; others 
hid  themselves  ; many  fled  the  city.  The  brave  and 
military  viceroy  sent  his  army  forward,  commanded 
by  Trujillo.  Upon  the  Monte  de  la  Cruces,  outside 
of  the  city,  the  forces  met,  and  a terrible  battle 
ensued.  The  insurgents  were  swept  by  the  fire  of  their 
opponents’  artillery  ; but  their  immense  numbers  bore 
up  against  all  resistance,  inspired  by  enthusiasm 
in  the  cause,  and  triumphed  completely,  the  soldiers 
of  the  viceroy  abandoning  the  field  with  many  losses. 


246 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  commanding  general,  Trujillo,  owed  his  life  to 
his  excellent  horse,  which  bore  him  swiftly  back  to 
Mexico.  Had  Hidalgo  marched  immediately  upon 
Mexico,  then  in  a state  of  panic  and  confusion  most 
advantageous  to  his  cause,  it  might  have  been  for 
him  the  victorious  end  of  the  struggle.  Unfortu- 
nately, he  decided  to  withdraw  towards  Oueretaro, 
fearing  the  approach  of  reinforcements  from  the 
capital. 

In  fact,  at  Aculco  he  was  vigorously  attacked  by 
the  division  of  Calleja  arriving  from  the  north,  and, 
after  a hot  combat,  the  insurgents  were  overcome, 
losing  all  their  artillery  and  many  men.  The  huge 
army  melted,  and  Hidalgo  went  back  to  Valladolid 
with  but  a handful  of  men. 

Calleja  followed  Allende  to  Guanajuato,  where  he 
attacked  him  with  the  same  vigor,  so  that  he  was 
obliged  to  abandon  the  city  and  retreat  to  Zacatecas, 
which  had  already  proclaimed  independence.  A 
cruel  retaliation  was  taken  by  Calleja  upon  the 
inhabitants  of  Guanajuato. 

Hidalgo  again  assembled  an  army,  and  went  to 
Guadalajara,  where  the  Independents  had  already 
declared  themselves.  No  sooner  had  he  left  Valla- 
dolid than  it  was  again  occupied  by  royalist  troops. 

In  Guadalajara  Hidalgo  organized  a government, 
taking  for  himself  the  title  of  Generalissimo,  and  ap- 
pointing ministers.  He  sent  immediately  a com- 
missioner to  the  United  States  Government;  but 
this  emissary  had  not  gone  far  before  he  was  seized 
and  made  prisoner  by  the  Spaniards.  Hidalgo 
exerted  himself  vigorously  to  collect  arms  and 


HIDALGO. 


247 


means  for  reorganizing  his  army.  But  the  royal- 
ists, with  equal  energy  and  resources  far  better,  had 
their  forces  ready  to  advance  under  the  orders  of 
Calleja,  while  Hidalgo’s  army  were  still  in  the  rough. 
Nevertheless  he  resolved  to  attack  without  waiting 
for  the  royalists,  against  the  opinion  of  Allende  and 
others,  who  thought  the  risk  too  great.  He  sallied 
from  Guadalajara  with  his  large  but  undisciplined 
force  on  the  16th  of  January,  to  the  Puente  de  Cal- 
deron, whence  at  the  fall  of  evening  could  be  discerned 
the  regular  troops  of  Calleja,  to  the  number  of  ten 
thousand  men,  in  the  best  discipline,  and  perfectly 
armed  and  equipped.  The  next  day  was  fought  the 
battle  of  Calderon. 

The  result  was  a foregone  conclusion.  The  insur- 
gents fought  bravely;  the  battle  was  undecided  for 
some  hours,  but  the  rout  was  complete,  the  van- 
quished Independents  retreating  in  all  directions. 

Calleja  entered  Guadalajara.  The  insurgents 
were  put  down  in  various  places,  and  the  revolution 
for  the  time  was  suppressed. 

Hidalgo  set  forward  towards  Zacatecas.  On  the 
way,  he  encountered  Allende,  Jimenez,  and  other 
chiefs  of  the  insurrection,  who  had  escaped  with 
many  perils  from  the  fatal  Puente  de  Calderon.  It 
is  said  that  their  differences  of  opinion  concerning 
the  plan  of  campaign  caused  dissatisfaction  among 
them.  They  agreed,  however,  to  hasten  towards 
the  United  States  with  such  troops  and  money  as 
they  had  left,  there  to  recruit  and  discipline  an 
army  with  which  to  return  and  conquer. 

With  a large  convoy  of  mules  and  baggage,  some 


24S 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


pieces  of  artillery,  and  a considerable  escort,  they 
were  overtaken  and  surprised  by  the  Spanish  troops 
not  far  from  the  frontier  they  longed  to  cross,  and 
were  made  prisoners  in  a dismal  desert  spot  called 
Las  Norias  de  Bajan,  in  the  state  of  Coahuila  which 
borders  upon  the  Rio  Grande.  The  chiefs  of  con- 
spiracy were  secured  and  conducted  under  a strong 
escort  to  Chihuahua,  where  they  were  tried  and 
condemned  to  death. 

On  the  26th  day  of  June,  1811,  Allende,  Aldama, 
and  Jimenez  were  shot  in  Chihuahua,  and  upon  the 
31st  of  July  perished  Hidalgo,  showing  in  his  last 
moments  great  bravery  and  self-possession. 

The  heads  of  these  four  illustrious  chiefs  were 
carried  to  Guanajuato,  and  nailed  upon  the  four  cor- 
ners of  the  Alhondiga  de  Grenaditas,  where  they  re- 
mained for  ten  years.  Later  the  remains,  as  those  of 
martyrs,  received  solemn  burial  beneath  the  altar  of 
the  sovereigns  in  the  grand  cathedral  of  Mexico. 

The  execution  of  these  men  closed  the  first  period 
of  the  struggle  for  independence  in  Mexico.  The 
royalist  troops  had  everywhere  triumphed  ; the 
voices  which  had  uttered  the  Grito  de  Dolores  were 
silent.  Order  might  now  resume  its  course,  and 
Venegas,  the  viceroy,  settle  into  that  quiet  living 
he  had  proposed  for  himself  in  the  provinces. 

It  is  interesting  to  wonder  what  would  have  hap- 
pened if  the  insurgent  chief  had  succeeded  in  cross- 
ing the  frontier  into  the  vague  regions  of  the  West, 
under  the  protection  of  the  American  flag.  The 
Government  of  the  United  States  in  18 11  was 
scarcely  in  a condition  to  render  efficient  aid  to 


HIDALGO. 


249 


straggling  patriots  from  other  countries.  Moreover, 
the  lands  between  the  Rio  Grande  and  the  new  re- 
public were  but  a wilderness,  in  which  a little  hand- 
ful of  men,  however  brave,  however  independent, 
might  easily  have  perished  by  starvation  or  cold. 
The  death  that  came  upon  them  was  martyrdom  to 
their  cause,  more  efficient  as  an  incentive  to  future 
patriotism  than  lives  of  prolonged  incomplete 
effort. 

The  Alhondiga  de  Grenaditas  is  now  used  for  a 
prison.  In  its  walls  is  still  to  be  seen  the  spike 
from  which  for  ten  years  hung  the  head  of  Hidalgo. 
Before  the  entrance  stands  a bronze  statue  of  the 
first  liberator  of  his  country. 


XXVI. 


MORELOS. 


The  Independents  were  not  all  destroyed.  Before 
the  end  of  the  year  which  witnessed  the  execution 
of  the  three  chiefs,  the  name  of  Morelos  began  to 
be  noised  abroad. 

The  father  of  Morelos  was  a carpenter  living  in 
Valladolid  with  his  wife  Juana  Pavon.  They  were 
of  low  birth  and  poor.  On  the  30th  of  September 
Juana  Pavon,  on  her  way  to  the  market-place,  was 
obliged  to  enter  a house  on  the  corner  of  the  street 
where  she  chanced  to  be,  in  order  that  her  soil 
should  be  born  immediately.  This  house  now  has  a 
stone  inserted  over  the  doorway  thus  inscribed  : 

The  immortal 

Josd  M.  Morelos  zvas  born  in  this  house 
on  the  30 th  of  September  1765. 

1 6th  of  September  1881. 

In  1801,  this  son,  then  a curate  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, bought  another  house  in  the  town,  which  he 
rebuilt  and  made  comfortable.  This  house  remains 
in  the  hands  of  the  relatives  of  the  hero,  who  also 
possess  his  portrait  and  a piece  of  the  cloth  with 


250 


MORELOS. 


251 


which  his  eyes  were  bandaged  on  the  22d  of  De- 
cember, 1815.  Over  the  door  is  inscribed  : 

Morelos  the  illustrious  / 

Immortal  Hero. 

In  this  house , honored  by  thy  presence , 

Salute  you  the  grateful  people  of  Morelia. 

For  the  grateful  people  of  his  birth-place  changed 
the  time-honored  name  of  their  city  to  Morelia  in 
honor  of  their  patriotic  citizen,  thus  paying  a wor- 
thy tribute  to  his  memory,  although  slighting  that 
of  the  good  viceroy  who  established  its  foundations. 

The  parents  of  Morelos  dedicated  him  to  the 
career  of  a muleteer,  as  the  local  history  expresses 
it,  and  a muleteer  he  remained  until  he  was  thirty 
years  old.  At  that  advanced  age  he  had  the  cour- 
age to  enter  the  Colegio  de  San  Nicholas,  where 
Hidalgo  was  then  superintendent.  It  is  easy  to  see 
that  other  lessons  were  taught  there  besides  those 
of  the  school  curriculum  ; Morelos  made  rapid 
progress  in  all  branches  of  education,  was  ordained 
to  the  church,  and  obtained  several  successive  cura- 
cies. Thus  employed,  when  the  Grito  de  Dolores 
sounded  over  Anahuac,  he  offered  his  services  to  the 
Generalissimo  Hidalgo  on  the  side  of  independence. 
He  was  sent  to  raise  the  standard  of  liberty  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  and  starting  from  his  village  with 
twenty-five  men,  arrived  at  Acapulco  with  a thou- 
sand. 

In  various  encounters  with  the  royalists,  Morelos 
and  his  men  were  successful.  He  showed  great  per- 
ception in  the  management  of  troops,  and  marched 


252 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


from  one  triumph  to  another  as  far  as  Cuautla,  a 
picturesque  town  eighty-five  miles  southeast  of  the 
city  of  Mexico.  Its  lower  level  makes  it  tropical  and 
picturesque,  with  lanes  winding  about  among  the 
adobe  huts  of  the  Indians,  hedged  with  banana  and 
orange  trees,  and  hung  with  all  manner  of  wandering- 
vines  and  brilliant  blossoms.  Water  trickles  every- 
where, and  across  the  broad  valley  rises  toward  the 
north  the  peak  of  Popocatepetl. 

Here  Morelos  sustained  a siege  against  the  well 
trained  army  of  Calleja,  still  in  the  field,  and  ripe 
with  the  honors  of  victory  in  the  campaigns  at 
Hidalgo.  The  Independents  held  out  from  the  19th 
of  February  to  the  2d  of  May,  with  great  valor  and 
endurance,  repulsing  three  assaults,  and  sustaining 
daily  attacks,  while  their  sufferings  were  great  from 
lack  of  food  and  water.  The  fame  of  Morelos, 
heroic  defender  of  Cuautla,  spread  far  and  wide. 
After  sixty-two  days  of  steady  resistance,  Morelos, 
recognizing  that  he  must  abandon  the  place,  suc- 
ceeded in  coming  out  at  night  without  molestation, 
retiring  in  order  towards  the  north. 

Until  the  end  of  the  year  1812,  Morelos  was  en- 
gaged in  leading  his  army  from  one  victory  to 
another,  and  gathering  everywhere  additions  to  his 
forces.  The  next  year  he  ventured  as  far  as  Aca- 
pulco, scene  of  his  first  expedition.  The  garrison 
there  capitulated,  and  he  took  possession  of  the  for- 
tress of  San  Diego  in  August,  1813. 

On  the  14th  of  September,  Morelos  called  together 
the  first  Mexican  Congress,  at  Chilpantzingo,  not 
very  far  from  the  Pacific  coast.  Among  its  members 


MORELOS. 


253 


were  many  whose  names  have  since  been  repeatedly 
before  the  Mexicans  as  liberals.  The  first  act  of 
this  Congress  was  to  nominate  Morelos  Captain-Gen- 
eral of  the  Independent  forces.  It  was  thought  sig- 
nificant that  on  the  same  date,  September  15th, 
three  years  before,  Hidalgo  had  placed  himself  in 
the  same  post  of  honor  and  difficulty. 

The  declaration  of  independence  issued  by  this 
Congress  was  as  follows  : 

“ The  Congress  of  Anahuac,  lawfully  installed  in 
the  city  of  Chilpantzingo,  of  North  America,  sol- 
emnly declares,  in  the  presence  of  God,  arbitrator  of 
kingdoms  and  author  of  society,  who  gives  and  takes 
away  according  to  the  inscrutable  designs  of  his 
providence,  that,  through  the  present  circumstances 
of  Europe,  it  has  recovered  the  exercise  of  its 
sovereignty,  hitherto  usurped,  its  dependence  upon 
the  throne  of  Spain  being  thus  forever  disrupted 
and  dissolved.” 

During  this  year  the  viceroy,  Venegas,  was  recalled 
by  the  regency,  and  the  office  conferred  upon  Cal- 
leja,  who  had  so  valiantly  defended  the  royalist 
cause. 

The  plan  of  Morelos  was  to  take  Valladolid,  and 
establish  there  the  seat  of  Congress.  Bringing  to- 
gether all  his  forces,  he  approached  the  capital  of 
Michoacan  on  the  23d  December,  and  demanded  its 
surrender.  But  the  city  was  now  occupied  by  the 
royalist  forces  of  two  commanders,  one  of  whom  was 
Agustin  de  Yturbide,  already  renowned  for  his  re- 
peated victories  over  the  insurgents  and  the  unrelent- 
ing  vigor  with  which  he  pursued  them.  These  forces 


2 54  7 7/ A’  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 

attacked  the  army  of  Morelos,  and  completely  routed 
it  on  Christinas  eve. 

Morelos  escaped,  and  with  a few  soldiers  returned 
to  Acapulco.  The  prestige  of  his  army  was  lost  ; 
apparently  his  star  was  declining.  One  mishap  after 
another  followed,  and  the  royal  forces  pursued  him 
with  unrelenting  vigilance,  which  he  evaded  several 
times  with  very  narrow  escapes.  The  campaign  of 
Yturbide  was  vigorous ; several  of  the  best  captains  of 
the  Independents  were  captured,  and  paid  with  their 
lives  for  their  devotion  to  the  cause  of  liberty. 
Among  them  was  Matamoras.  Meanwhile  the  first 
Mexican  Congress,  like  many  another,  was  not  har- 
monious ; divisions  arose  between  its  deputies  and  its 
general.  The  patriot  was  learning  that  it  is  harder 
to  keep  a government  well  in  hand  than  it  is  to  seize 
it  by  force. 

In  1815  this  Congress  decided  it  would  like  to 
move  to  Tehuacan,  and  assigned  to  Morelos  the  task 
of  escorting  it  thither  with  all  the  troops  he  held  at 
his  disposition.  This  strange  march  set  forth  in  mys- 
tery and  concealment  on  the  29th  of  September;  but 
in  spite  of  the  stratagems  of  Morelos,  the  royalist 
forces  discovered  its  route,  and  intercepted  it.  More- 
los gave  front  to  the  enemy,  that  the  honorable 
deputies  and  members  of  his  Congress  might  have  a 
chance  to  escape.  His  force  was  routed,  he  himself 
betrayed  by  a deserter. 

Morelos  was  taken  to  Mexico;  the  ecclesiastical 
tribunes  covered  him  with  ignominy,  and  he  was 
handed  over  to  the  military  authorities.  By  them 
he  was  at  once  sentenced  to  death,  and  on  the  22d 


MORELOS. 


of  December,  1815,  he  was  shot  in  the  small  town 
San  Cristobal  Ecatepec,  dying  with  the  bravery  of 
a hero. 

This  was  the  end  of  the  dark  period,  called  the 
second,  of  Mexican  independence.  Its  life  was  in 
its  chief,  the  daring,  patriotic  Morelos. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  Morelos  had  many  of  the 
great  qualities  for  a successful  leader  of  men.  He 
was  born  in  poverty,  with  no  antecedents  of  great- 
ness; untaught,  even  in  the  rudiments  of  learning, 
until  he  was  thirty  ; up  to  that  time  patiently  driving 
mules  along  the  steep  paths  of  his  native  state. 
Whoever  has  watched  the  slow,  though  sure,  prog- 
ress of  these  animals,  and  the  enforced  loitering  in 
the  pace  of  him  who  accompanies  them,  must  be 
impressed  with  the  idea  that  patience  is  a virtue 
likely  to  be  developed  in  such  training. 

Great  ideas  then  pervaded  society.  It  is  probable 
that  Morelos  was  more  than  dazzled  by  the  brilliancy 
of  Napoleon’s  career.  Military  success  inflamed 
many  hearts  and  turned  many  heads  in  those  days. 
There  was  the  making  of  a military  commander  in  the 
stuff  of  which  Morelos  was  compounded.  With  the 
opportunities  of  Napoleon  for  creating  large  armies, 
well  equipped  with  all  the  appurtenances  of  warfare 
developed  by  the  skill  and  science  of  the  time, 
Morelos  might  have  arrived  at  his  object,  the  liberty 
of  his  country. 

There  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  a personal 
ambition  animated  him.  He  made  himself  general- 
in-chief  of  his  army,  but  that  was  a necessary  step 
for  the  furtherance  of  his  designs.  His  fixed  idea 


256 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


was  that  of  an  independent  Mexico.  So  little  was 
he  tempted  by  the  trials  of  prosperity,  it  is  im- 
possible to  say  whether  success,  the  sparkling  foam 
of  flattery,  would  have  turned  his  head,  as  they  did 
so  many  others,  in  the  supreme  hours  of  attainment. 

As  it  was,  he  died  the  death  of  a hero,  leaving 
behind  him  a reputation  pure  and  unsullied  by  the 
taint  of  personal  ambition. 

His  career  was  in  no  sense  a failure.  The  object 
of  his  sacrifice  was  achieved  in  effect  ; the  indepen- 
dence of  Mexico,  although  not  within  his  own  grasp, 
was  sure.  Another  idea  of  great  importance  was 
impressed  upon  the  Spanish  in  Mexico,  the  Spaniards 
in  the  mother  country  and  the  world  looking  on: 
that  the  blood  of  the  native  Mexican  was  capable  of 
great  deeds,  that  the  descendants  of  the  Aztecs 
were  something  better  than  peones,  slaves  without 
the  name.  The  lower  class  of  the  population  of 
Anahuac  raised  their  heads  and  listened.  Low  mur- 
murs, as  of  a distant  ocean,  told  them  that  the  tide 
of  their  destiny  was  turned,  that  the  day  was  coming 
when  it  would  break  with  force  against  the  bulwarks 
built  up  against  it. 

Morelos  could  die  content.  He  had  achieved  for 
himself  no  proud  seat  on  the  throne  cf  the  Monte- 
zumas  ; he  asked  no  such  reward. 

He  had  forcibly  impressed  upon  his  country  the 
ideas  first  given  to  him  and  them  by  the  Curate 
Hidalgo.  The  impression  was  not  washed  out,  but 
made  fast  by  the  blood  he  caused  to  be  shed,  and 
his  own. 

If  glory  was  his  aim,  that  he  has  attained.  The 


MORELOS. 


257 


Mexicans  adore  Morelos.  His  native  town  is  bap- 
tized anew  with  his  name,  and  the  state  bears  the 
name  of  Morelos,  which  contains  Cuautla,  the  town 
he  defended  for  sixty-two  days  with  the  patience  of 
the  muleteer  and  the  obstinacy  of  his  animals. 

If  the  subsequent  leaders  of  Mexican  independence 
have  not  been  always  true  to  the  example  he  gave 
them,  of  unselfish  devotion  to  his  cause,  the  great 
population  has  never  wavered  in  its  devotion  to  his 
memory. 

In  the  public  square  of  Morelos,  capital  of  the 
state  which  also  bears  his  name,  is  a marble  statue  of 
the  hero,  set  up  during  the  French  occupation,  on 
September  30,  1865,  the  one  hundredth  anniversary 
of  the  birth  of  Morelos.  The  Emperor  Maximilian 
presided  on  the  occasion. 


XXVII. 

YTURBIDE. 

CALLEJA  remained  several  months  at  the  head  of 
government  and  then  returned  to  Spain,  having 
taken  vigorous  measures  to  extinguish  forever,  as 
lie  thought,  the  flames  of  insurrection.  In  the  last 
days  of  his  administration  he  arrested  and  sent  to  a 
convent  two  women  distinguished  for  their  devotion 
to  the  cause  of  independence  ; one  of  them,  Dofia 
Josefa  Dominguez,  the  wife  of  the  man  who  began 
with  Hidalgo  the  agitation  of  the  subject. 

Calleja  returned  to  Spain,  where  he  was  made 
Conde  de  Calderon.  He  was  cruel  and  despotic, 
and  has  left  in  Mexico  a name  much  detested. 

The  struggle  for  independence  continued  in  sev- 
eral parts  of  the  country,  but  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment, with  good  troops  and  ample  resources,  either 
dispersed  or  routed  the  rebellious  forces.  Some  of 
the  chiefs  of  the  insurrection  abandoned  the  cause, 
accepting  the  indulgence  offered  them  by  the  vice- 
roy, while  others  retired  to  the  mountains,  like 
Pelayo  in  the  early  days  of  Spain,  when  the  Moors 
swept  over  the  Peninsula,  to  keep  active  for  happier 
days  the  sacred  fire  of  liberty. 

The  successor  of  Calleja,  Apodaca,  by  his  concili- 


YTURBIDE. 


259 


atory  and  humane  conduct,  did  much  to  tranquillize 
society  near  the  capital,  but  ideas  of  independence 
were  still  working  all  over  the  country.  Guerrero, 
who  must  be  counted  among  the  heroes  of  the  move- 
ment, showed  an  unwearying  activity  in  the  cam- 
paign. Many  times  his  forces  were  routed  ; many 
times  they  triumphed  ; neither  success  nor  defeat 
made  him  waver.  He  was  covered  with  wounds,  but 
heeded  them  not  ; he  was  deaf  to  proposals  of  clem- 
ency from  the  royalists.  In  the  mountains  of  the 
south,  to  which  he  retired,  he  kept  up  constant  war- 
fare upon  the  Spanish  troops,  and  even  set  up  a new 
national  government.  This  he  continued  without 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  royalists  until  1820, 
when  the  course  of  Yturbide  put  a stop  to  a warfare 
which  had  lasted  ten  years  and  soaked  in  blood  the 
soil  of  Anahuac. 

The  French  had  been  driven  from  Spain  in  1814, 
and  Ferdinand  VII.  was  again  upon  the  throne,  but 
there  was  a revolution  in  1820,  by  which  he  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender  much  of  the  authority  which  he 
had  taken  upon  himself  in  spite  of  his  oaths  and 
promises.  He  was  obliged  to  convoke  the  Cortes, 
to  change  his  ministers  for  liberals,  to  abolish  the 
Inquisition,  free  the  press,  and  re-establish  the  na- 
tional militia. 

Such  events  awoke  again  the  demand  for  a liberal 
government  in  Mexico.  It  was  then  that  an  officer 
in  the  royalist  army,  a native  Mexican,  who  had  hith- 
erto distinguished  himself  on  that  side,  now  changed 
his  allegiance,  and  took  up  the  cause  of  independ- 


ence. 


2 6o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  concessions  forced  on  King  Ferdinand  were 
celebrated  in  Mexico  on  the  31st  of  May,  1820,  the 
suppression  of  the  Inquisition  and  the  liberty  of  the 
press  being  subjects  of  great  rejoicings.  The  inde- 
pendent party  saw  in  these  reforms  an  opportunity 
to  avail  themselves  of  the  new  element  to  realize 
their  most  ardent  visions.  A great  division  was  pro- 
duced among  the  resident  Spaniards  of  the  country, 
for  while  some  of  these  declared  in  favor  of  the  con- 
stitution, the  greater  part  showed  themselves  hostile 
to  it,  still  clinging  to  ideas  of  absolute  power,  and 
foreseeing  that  so  great  a political  change  would 
hasten  the  independence  of  Mexico. 

Agustin  de  Yturbide  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Valladolid,  not  then  re-named  Morelia,  on  the  27th 
of  September,  1783.  His  parents  were  of  native 
Mexican  blood,  Joaquin  de  Yturbide,  born  in  Pam- 
plona, and  Ana  Aramburu. 

He  had  entered  a royalist  regiment  before  he  was 
sixteen  years  old,  and  until  1808  he  showed  himself 
a vigorous  opponent  of  the  liberal  party,  serving  with 
his  troops  in  different  parts  of  the  country,  always 
signalizing  himself  by  his  valor,  his  activity,  and  his 
adroit  combinations  to  bring  about  the  defeat  of  the 
cause  opposed  to  his  own.  Through  the  interven- 
ing grades  he  passed  to  be  colonel,  and  held  com- 
mands of  importance  at  Guanajuato  and  Valladolid. 

In  the  diversity  of  opinions  of  1820,  Yturbide  was 
among  those  who  accepted  the  idea  of  a complete 
separation  for  Mexico  from  the  Peninsula.  Just  at 
that  time  the  viceroy  conferred  upon  him  the  grade 
of  brigadier,  and  gave  him  command  of  a body  of 


YTURBIDE. 


261 

troops  destined  to  operate  against  the  insurgents  of 
Guerrero  in  the  south. 

Yturbide  left  the  capital  in  November,  and  a month 
later  found  himself  confronted  by  an  enemy  of  some- 
thing like  three  thousand  men.  After  several  en- 
counters unfavorable  to  his  command,  Yturbide 
entered  into  an  active  correspondence  with  the  op- 
posing chief,  the  result  of  which  was  an  interview 
for  friendly  conference.  Both  generals  found  them- 
selves in  accord,  for,  to  the  surprise  of  Guerrero,  his 
opponent  revealed  an  ardent  desire  to  proclaim  in- 
dependence. Guerrero,  without  personal  ambition, 
willingly  handed  over  the  command  to  the  renegade, 
who  announced,  on  February  24th,  the  so-called 
“ Plan  of  Iguala.” 

Three  essential  articles  made  up  this  proposal:  (1) 
the  preservation  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  with 
the  exclusion  of  other  forms  of  religion  ; (2)  the  ab- 
solute independence  of  Mexico  under  the  govern- 
ment of  a moderate  monarchy  with  some  member  of 
the  reigning  house  of  Spain  upon  the  throne  ; and  (3) 
the  amicable  union  of  Spaniards  and  Mexicans. 
These  three  clauses  were  called  the  “ three  guaran- 
ties.” When  the  national  Mexican  flag  was  devised 
later,  its  colors  represented  these  three  articles  of  the 
national  faith — white  for  religious  purity,  green  for 
union,  and  red  for  independence.  The  army  of 
Yturbide  was  known  as  the  army  of  the  three  guar- 
anties. 

Upon  this  basis  the  contest  was  resumed.  It  found 
favor  in  many  parts  of  Mexico,  and  the  independent 
troops,  with  their  chiefs,  very  generally  gave  in  their 
adherence  at  once  to  the  Plan  of  Iguala. 


262 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


As  soon  as  the  viceroy  could  recover  from  his 
surprise  on  waking  up  one  day  to  find  a brigadier  of 
his  own  troops  concerting  a revolution,  he  issued 
manifestoes  against  the  undertaking,  and  at  once  set 
about  raising  an  army  of  six  thousand  men,  which 
advanced  but  slowly  to  the  field  of  action  in  the 
south,  where  the  troops  of  the  late  brigadier  had 
joined  the  insurgent  forces.  This  gave  time  for  the 
Independents  to  collect  together  the  various  forces 
of  Bustamente  and  other  chiefs  of  their  way  of 
thinking.  Valladolid  was  compelled  to  capitulate 
for  the  third  or  fourth  time  in  twenty  years;  after- 
wards Queretaro,  and,  finally,  Puebla,  which,  besieged 
by  the  troops  of  Bravo  and  Herrera,  surrendered  to 
Yturbide,  who  made  a triumphal  entry  into  the  city 
on  the  2d  of  August,  1821.  This  was  the  first  of  the 
sieges  which  the  City  of  the  Angels  has  sustained,  its 
position  with  regard  to  the  capital  exposing  it  to 
every  ill  wind  that  blows  in  that  direction. 

The  viceroy,  Apodaca,  hearing  of  the  rapid 
triumphs  of  the  insurgents,  adopted  defensive  meas- 
ures. He  established  a permanent  Junta  of  war, 
stopped  the  liberty  of  the  press,  and  decreed  the  en- 
forced enlistment  of  all  men  between  sixteen  and 
sixty.  But  desertions  were  constant,  the  public 
spirit  was  aroused  against  government,  and  except 
that  the  pure  Spaniards  were  in  favor  of  it,  all 
social  classes  were  decided  to  overthrow  the  old 
regime.  Even  the  garrison  of  Mexico,  losing  faith 
in  the  viceroy,  conspired  against  him.  A meeting 
inspired  by  these  discontented  troops  invaded  the 
viceregal  palace,  and  informed  Apodaca  that  his 


YTURBIDE. 


263 


charge  was  at  an  end.  Francisco  Novella,  sub- 
inspector of  artillery,  was  hastily  set  up  into  his 
place  ; the  deposed  viceroy  left  the  capital  next 
day  with  his  family,  and  returned,  with  such  haste  as 
they  could  bring  to  pass,  to  Spain. 

The  sub-inspector  of  artillery  went  to  bed  in  the 
palace  of  the  royal  viceroy  ; when  he  rose  the  next 
morning  he  found  little  or  nothing  to  do.  Like  his 
deposed  predecessor,  he  went  on  dictating  measures, 
which  nobody  noticed,  to  check  the  revolution  ; but 
this  had  advanced  too  far  for  sub-inspectors  to  lay 
hands  upon. 

Not  only  the  old  insurgents  came  to  the  front,  but 
the  greater  part  of  the  chiefs  of  the  royalists, 
Spanish  as  well  as  Mexican,  declared  for  indepen- 
dence, Santa  Anna,  at  Vera  Cruz,  among  others. 
Yturbide  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  all,  and  with 
such  resources  the  campaign  was  swift  and  success- 
ful. Thus  passed  the  month  of  July.  On  the  30th 
arrived  at  Vera  Cruz  a new  viceroy,  sent  in  advance, 
before  insurrection  was  dreamed  of  at  home,  to  re- 
place Apodaca,  the  last  governor  ever  sent  from 
Spain,  Juan  O’Donoju,  sixty-fourth  viceroy  since 
the  coming  of  Mendoza. 

He  disembarked,  took  the  oath  of  office  before  the 
governor  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  assumed  the  position  of 
governor  and  captain-general. 

Yturbide  hastened  to  meet  him  at  Cordova  on  his 
way  to  the  capital,  and  convinced  him  by  the  elo- 
quence of  his  arguments  and  the  proof  of  his  power, 
visible  in  the  ample  number  of  troops  within  his 
control,  that  discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor. 


264 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


The  Treaty  of  Cordova,  then  and  there  settled  be- 
tween these  two  men,  declared  the  independence  of 
Mexico,  with  Ferdinand  VII.  or  some  other  for  its 
independent  sovereign,  establishing  a Junta  of  gov- 
ernment, to  which  Q’Donoju  stipulated  to  belong, 
provisional  until  a king  should  be  found. 

These  things  settled,  Yturbide  and  O’Donoju, 
hand  in  hand,  as  Yturbide  and  Guerrero  had  come 
before,  approached  the  capital.  Sub-inspector 
Novella  was  summoned  outside  the  city  to  a con- 
ference, and  not  unwillingly  surrendered  his  brief 
authority  to  the  two  harmonious  chieftains. 

Yturbide  paused  at  Toluca  to  collect  all  his  forces 
and  to  draw  in  such  Spanish  troops  as  were  now 
ready  to  accept  him.  On  the  27th  of  September, 
his  birthday,  he  made  a triumphal  entry  into  the 
capital  with  the  army  of  the  Independents,  consisting 
of  some  sixteen  thousand  men,  with  sixty-eight 
pieces  of  artillery.  They  were  received  with  im- 
mense enthusiasm,  and  great  demonstrations  of  re- 
joicing signalized  the  end  of  Spanish  domination, 
which  had  lasted  three  hundred  years. 

On  the  next  day,  the  28th  of  September,  the  pro- 
visional Junta  met,  and  declared  itself  installed 
under  the  presidency  of  Yturbide.  Its  thirty-eight 
members  accepted  by  oath  the  Plan  of  Iguala  and 
the  Treaty  of  Cordova,  and  further  issued  an  Act  of 
Independence  of  the  Mexican  Empire,  subscribed  to 
by  all  the  Junta.  A government  was  formed,  called 
the  Regency,  composed  of  Don  Agustin  de  Yturbide, 
president,  and  five  other  members,  among  them 
Don  Juan  O’Donoju.  The  latter  died  the  next 


YTURBIDE. 


265 


month,  and  thus  ended  his  very  brief  career  in 
Mexico  ; his  place  was  taken  by  the  Bishop  of 
Puebla. 

Thus  was  formed,  at  a stroke,  the  Mexican  Em- 
pire, whose  wide  territory  extended  from  Guate- 
mala on  the  south,  over  lands  now  included  in 
Texas,  the  two  Californias,  and  New  Mexico  at  the 
north. 

Many  Spaniards,  disgusted  with  this  turn  of  affairs, 
returned  to  Europe  with  their  families.  Others  con- 
cluded to  accept  the  situation,  and  remained  to 
watch  the  course  of  events. 

The  new  government  set  to  work  in  good  earnest 
to  strengthen  its  foundations  and  extend  its  influ- 
ence. The  province  of  Chiapas,  on  the  Pacific  coast, 
declared  its  emancipation  from  Spain,  and  of  its 
own  accord  withdrew  from  Guatemala  and  incor- 
porated itself  with  Mexico.  It  still  remains  a Mexi- 
can state.  Guatemala  also  declared  its  wish  to  join 
the  Mexican  Empire,  and  the  Guatemalian  repre- 
sentatives accordingly  took  their  seats  in  the  first 
Mexican  Congress  ; but  the  next  year  this  province 
concluded  to  become  an  independent  nation  on  its 
own  account,  and  took  itself  away  from  the  empire. 

The  solemn  installation  of  this  second  Mexican 
Congress  took  place  in  February,  1822.  Its  first  act 
was  to  interfere  with  the  proceedings  of  the  Regency. 
Ill-feeling,  produced  by  want  of  harmony,  increased 
daily,  forming  parties  which  strongly  adhered  either 
to  one  side  or  the  other.  Of  these,  the  original  In- 
dependents, and  such  Spaniards  as  sincerely  desired 
the  fulfilment  of  the  Plan  of  Iguala,  by  which  a 


266 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


Spanish  prince  was  to  be  chosen  their  ruler,  mani- 
fested more  and  more  their  disapproval  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Regency;  while  the  other  party,  com- 
posed of  the  army,  the  clergy,  and  some  Spaniards, 
had  already  accepted  the  idea  of  elevating  Yturbide 
to  a throne. 

A ferment  of  discordant  opinions,  conflicting  inter- 
ests, and  personal  ambitions  arose,  in  the  midst  of 
which  came  the  news,  naturally  to  be  expected,  that 
the  Cortes  of  Spain  declared  null  and  void  the  Treaty 
of  Cordova,  concerted  by  Yturbide  and  O’Donoju. 

This  gave  Yturbide  his  opportunity.  On  the  night 
of  the  1 8th  of  May,  a movement  was  begun  by  a 
sergeant  of  one  of  the  regiments,  echoed  imme- 
diately by  various  garrison  corps,  proclaiming  Ytur- 
bide Emperor.  The  leader  modestly  referred  these 
applicants  to  the  decision  of  Congress,  and  this  body, 
the  next  day,  with  soldiers  all  around,  in  the  highest 
state  of  impatient  excitement,  declared,  by  a vote  of 
sixty-seven  against  a minority  of  fifteen,  the  Em- 
peror, under  the  title  of  Agustin  I. 

Thus  by  rapid  steps  had  Yturbide  climbed  from 
the  position  of  a simple  soldier  without  rank  to  the 
throne  of  the  Montezumas.  Wholly  different  from 
Morelos,  he  cannot  be  called  a patriot  in  the  highest 
sense.  Probably  his  motive  from  the  very  beginning 
was  personal  ambition,  in  which  loyalty  to  a king 
or  to  a cause  had  no  part.  He  too,  doubtless,  had 
watched  the  career  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  at  that 
time  a dangerous  light  shining  in  the  eyes  of  all 
men.  Yet  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  if  Yturbide 
worked  for  himself,  he  yet  achieved,  at  the  same 


YT  UR  BIDE. 


2 6? 


time,  the  independence  of  his  country.  His  throne 
was  an  unsteady  one,  but  the  dais  erected  for  it  to 
rest  upon  became  the  solid  platform  of  liberty. 

Agustin  I.  took  the  oath  of  office  before  the 
Mexican  Congress,  which  proceeded  to  pass  decrees 
establishing  the  succession  to  the  throne,  the  titles 
and  forms  of  address  to  be  held  toward  the  mem- 
bers of  the  imperial  family,  as  well  as  their  endow- 
ments, corresponding  to  their  rank,  details  which 
turned  out  to  be  of  no  permanent  value. 

On  the  2 1 st  of  July,  Yturbide  and  his  wife  were 
anointed  and  crowned  ip  the  Cathedral,  with  all  the 
solemnities  and  forms  which  have  been  observed  in 
Europe  on  such  occasions  for  centuries. 

But  the  Emperor  was  not  firmly  established  upon 
his  throne.  As  soon  as  they  had  recovered  from 
their  fright  and  surprise,  many  of  the  deputies,  who 
had  voted  unwillingly  with  the  majority,  began  to 
impede  the  course  of  Yturbide.  All  parties  who 
had  any  reason  for  discontent  made  common  cause 
against  the  Emperor.  Signs  of  dissatisfaction  reached 
Yturbide,  who  invited  the  struggle  by  dissolving 
Congress.  In  place  of  this  assembly  he  established 
a Junta  more  under  his  own  control ; and,  rid  of  the 
troublesome  Congress,  proceeded  to  issue  edicts, 
and  make  forced  loans  to  carry  on  his  empire. 

Suddenly,  on  the  6th  of  December,  the  Republic 
was  proclaimed  at  Vera  Cruz.  Yturbide  happened 
to  be  in  Puebla  at  the  time.  He  hastened  to  Mexico, 
and  sent  a division  of  troops  to  Vera  Cruz  to  defend 
his  title  and  put  down  the  insurrection. 

Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa  Anna  was  at  the  head  of 


26S 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


this  movement,  a general  in  the  Spanish  army,  who 
had  lately  come  into  the  views  of  the  revolutionists. 
At  Vera  Cruz  a plan  was  formed  called  the  Casa- 
Mata,  approved  of  by  Bravo,  Guerrero,  and  other 
generals,  which,  in  substance,  proclaimed  the  deposi- 
tion of  Yturbide  ; everywhere  it  was  accepted  by  the 
generals  of  armies  throughout  the  country,  so  that, 
by  the  end  of  a month,  Yturbide  found  himself  alone 
in  the  city  of  Mexico.  Unwilling  to  light  the  fires 
of  civil  war,  he  acknowledged  himself  vanquished, 
and  abdicated,  retiring  from  the  capital  with  his 
family.  Congress  closed  in  behind  him,  pronounced 
the  whole  episode  of  the  Empire  a work  of  violence 
and  force,  so  that  the  hereditary  succession  was  null. 
Yturbide  was  declared  banished  from  the  country, 
while, at  the  same  time,  a life  annuity  was  voted  to  him 
of  $25,000  in  recognition  of  his  services  to  the  nation. 

Thus  disappeared,  as  suddenly  as  it  had  risen,  the 
phantom  of  a second  Empire  in  the  realm  of  the 
Aztecs. 

Yturbide  left  the  country  with  his  family  upon  an 
English  vessel  bound  for  Leghorn.  A few  months 
later  he  wrote  from  London  to  the  home  govern- 
ment, warning  them  of  European  schemes  to  restore 
Spanish  rule  in  Mexico,  and  offering  his  services  to 
his  country  should  such  an  attempt  be  made. 

The  ruling  powers  were  afraid  of  a popular  revul- 
sion in  his  favor,  and  regarded  it  as  altogether  safest 
to  keep  him  at  a distance.  The  reply  of  Congress 
to  this  letter  was  to  pass  a decree  declaring  Yturbid.c 
a traitor  to  his  country,  as  such  to  be  put  to  death 
whenever  he  should  return  to  Mexico. 


PANORAMA  OF  PUEBLA. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


270 

Wholly  in  ignorance  of  this  decree,  and  sanguine 
of  the  good  effect  his  letter  might  produce,  the  un- 
suspecting ex-Emperor  did  return  to  Mexico  with 
the  intention  of  fulfilling  his  offer  of  usefulness — it 
may  be  in  the  hope  of  a return  to  favor.  On  the 
14th  of  July,  1824,  Yturbide,  with  all  his  family, 
arrived  at  the  little  port  of  Soto  la  Marina  in  an 
English  sailing-vessel.  He  was  recognized  by  the 
general  of  the  troops  of  Tamaulipas,  the  state  in 
which  he  was,  and  disembarked.  A few  moments 
afterwards  an  official  presented  himself,  with  hesita- 
tion, saying  it  was  his  duty  to  inform  him  that  he 
must  prepare  to  die,  in  conformity  with  the  decree 
issued  against  him  in  the  month  of  April. 

In  vain  Yturbide  protested  he  was  utterly  ignorant 
of  the  decree.  He  was  taken  to  Padilla,  where  the 
Congress  of  the  state  of  Tamaulipas  was  summoned 
to  an  extraordinary  session  to  deliberate  upon  his 
case.  A hot  discussion  resulted  in  the  decision  that 
Yturbide  must  be  shot,  and  without  the  slightest 
delay  this  decree  was  executed  close  to  the  church 
in  the  streets  of  Padilla. 

His  last  words  were:  “Mexicans!  in  the  very 
moment  of  my  execution  I recommend  to  you  the 
love  of  our  country  and  devotion  to  our  holy  re- 
ligion, that  thus  we  shall  be  led  to  glory.  I die  be- 
cause I came  to  help  you.  I die  gladly,  because  I 
die  among  you.  I die  with  honor,  not  as  a traitor. 
I leave  no  stain  of  treason  to  my  children.  No.  I 
am  not  a traitor  ! ” 

It  is  impossible  not  to  pity  the  hard  fate  of 
Yturbide  and  his  violent  death.  He  was  not  a 


Y TURBID E. 


2/1 


traitor  to  his  country  in  the  worst  sense  of  the  term, 
and  deserves  the  title  less  than  many  another  of  his 
contemporaries  who  have  met  a milder  judgment. 
Although  he  turned  the  government  into  an  Empire 
for  the  sake  of  his  own  personal  ambition,  he  had  in 
his  short  career  as  Emperor  done  it  no  harm  ; on  the 
other  hand,  he  resigned  quietly  for  the  sake  of  peace. 
Doubtless  a little  delay  would  have  averted  the 
tragedy,  as  those  who  wished  him  out  of  the  way 
were  well  aware.  His  life  might  have  promoted  the 
future  welfare  of  his  country;  his  death  certainly 
produced  no  good  result.  Too  many  hands  were 
grasping  at  the  prize  he  had  coveted  for  his  to  be 
missed  when  it  was  forcibly  beaten  off. 

He  was  personally  brave  and  active,  handsome, 
fond  of  display,  and  full  of  vanity,  which  caused  him 
to  delight  in  the  splendor  of  state.  He  was  at  the 
height  of  his  ambition  when  he  was  proclaimed 
Emperor,  the  horses  taken  from  his  carriage,  and  the 
crowd,  drawing  him  along  the  streets,  shouting 
vivas  for  the  new  Emperor.  He  forgot,  at  a time 
when  it  is  easiest  to  forget,  how  cheap  are  such 
manifestations  of  enthusiasm  from  an  easily  excited 
and  mobile  population.  He  forgot  that  as  he  had 
conspired  against  others,  others  in  their  turn  not 
only  could,  but  would,  seek  to  pull  him  down. 

Whatever  his  faults  or  failings,  it  is  nevertheless 
true  that  his  act  freed  the  country  from  the  control 
of  Spain.  This  is  fully  recognized  in  his  birthplace, 
Morelia,  where  the  house  of  his  birth  bears  the 
inscription  : 

“LIBERTADOR  DE  MEXICO.” 


XXVIII. 

SANTA  ANNA. 

The  story  of  Mexico  becomes  so  confused  after 
the  fall  of  the  Empire  of  Agustin  I.  that  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  understand.  “ Plans,”  pronunciamentos,  rev- 
olutions, restorations,  followed  each  other  in  quick 
succession.  Generals,  dictators,  presidents,  sprang 
from  the  soil  ready-made,  to  exercise  for  a few  days 
their  brief  authority,  and  vanish  as  quickly. 

A few  prominent  names  constantly  recur,  cling- 
ing to  the  wheel  of  fortune,  which  turned  at  that 
time  in  Mexico  with  singular  swiftness.  Each  of 
these  went  down  one  day  and  the  next  up.  Still 
with  pertinacity  they  held  on,  each  rejoicing  in  his 
own  turn  at  the  top,  not  only  on  his  own  account,  but 
in  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  others  beneath  him. 
In  their  wild  merry-go-round  they  seem  to  have  lost 
sight  of  the  value  of  the  position  itself,  which  made 
the  object  of  their  revolutions.  Was  it  a crown,  a 
dictator’s  chair,  the  simple  dignity  of  a president’s 
wand  of  office,  they  heeded  little.  The  thought  of 
establishing  a genuine  republic  was  far  enough  from 
anybody’s  mind  in  the  early  days  of  the  century.  To 
guide  us  through  the  puzzling  labyrinth  at  this  period 
in  Mexican  affairs,  we  will  follow  the  thread  of  one 


272 


SANTA  AJVNA. 


273 


career — the  life  of  a man  who,  without  the  highest 
characteristics  of  a real  hero,  was  mixed  up  in  every 
event  which  took  place  on  the  plateau  of  Anahuac, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  struggle  to  the  end. 

Antonio  Lopez  de  Santa  Anna  was  born  in  Jalapa, 
Feb.  21,  1798,  sixty-six  years  to  a day  after  the  birth 
of  George  Washington,  whose  footsteps,  if  he  followed 
at  all,  it  was  in  an  erring  manner.  He  first  made  his 
appearance  in  public,  as  we  have  seen,  fighting  in 
the  war  of  independence;  it  was  he  who,  in  1821, 
expelled  the  royalists  from  Vera  Cruz,  and  took 
possession  of  the  city.  Yturbide  thus  owed  to  him, 
in  part,  his  success,  but  it  was  no  intention  of  Santa 
Anna’s  to  make  an  emperor  of  him,  and  he  applied 
the  same  vigor  in  pulling  him  down  from  the  throne, 
that  he  had  to  smooth  the  way  to  it.  This  effected, 
he  withdrew  to  his  estates  in  Jalapa,  accepting  the 
federal  government  decreed  by  Congress  the  4th  of 
October,  1824. 

This  Constitution,  wisely  drawn  up  in  accordance 
with  the  best  models,  provided  an  excellent  system 
of  government,  if  it  could  be  adhered  to.  Don  Felix 
Fernandez  Victoria,  an  army  general,  called  by  the 
people  Guadalupe  Victoria,  on  account  of  the  inter- 
vention in  his  favor  against  the  Spanish,  as  they 
believed,  of  the  patron  saint  of  Mexico,  Our  Lady 
of  Guadalupe,  assumed  office  in  1824,  and  kept  it  for 
two  years  without  any  commotion.  He  is  described 
by  Madame  Calderon  as  a plain,  uneducated,  well- 
intentioned  man,  brave  and  enduring.  She  gives 
an  anecdote  to  his  credit.  When  Yturbide,  alone, 
fallen,  and  a prisoner,  was  banished  from  Mexico, 


274 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


General  Bravo,  who  had  the  charge  of  conducting 
him  to  Vera  Cruz,  treated  him  with  every  species  of 
indignity.  Victoria,  on  the  other  hand,  who  had 
been  the  sworn  foe  of  the  Emperor  during  his  pros- 
perity, now,  when  orders  were  given  him  to  see 
Yturbide  embarked,  surrounded  him  with  respectful 
attentions;  so  that  Yturbide  himself,  after  express- 
ing his  warm  esteem  for  the  General’s  generous 
conduct,  presented  him  with  his  watch,  as  a memorial 
of  his  gratitude. 

During  his  term,  the  legislature  decreed  the 
expulsion  of  the  Spanish  from  Mexico.  Many 
military  chiefs  were  violently  anxious  for  this  meas- 
ure, and  it  became  a law  before  the  end  of  the 
year.  In  consequence  of  this  arbitrary  decision, 
worthy  of  an  earlier  century  and  of  Philip  III.,  who 
drove  out  of  Spain  the  Moriscoes  to  the  lasting 
injury  of  the  country,  many  families  left  Mexico, 
taking  with  them  their  wealth,  and  the  source  of 
income  caused  by  their  requirements.  It  is  said 
that  a great  many  Spaniards  settled  in  Bordeaux 
which  thus  increased  in  size  and  prosperity.  Be- 
tween two  countries,  of  which  neither  claimed  them, 
although  to  each  they  had  a claim,  these  exiles  are 
to  be  regarded  as  victims  of  the  injudicious  legis- 
lation of  the  first  republican  Congress  of  Mexico. 

The  close  of  Victoria’s  term  was  disturbed  by  one 
or  two  conspiracies,  civil  wars,  pronunciamentos,  and 
“Plans.”  The  presidential  election  of  1828  was 
marked  by  formidable  divisions.  The  extreme  lib- 
erals and  the  conservatives  formed  two  great  politi- 
cal powers,  which,  with  others  representing  every 


SANTA  ANNA. 


27S 

shade  of  possible  opinion,  kept  the  country  in  a 
state  of  disturbance.  The  unfortunate  precedent  of 
appealing  to  arms  after  an  election,  instead  of  sub- 
mitting to  the  result  of  the  ballot,  became  so  estab- 
lished that  the  elections  were  little  more  than  a 
farce.  Pedraza,  the  conservative  candidate,  was 
chosen  against  Guerrero,  liberal,  by  a majority  of 
two.  Santa  Anna  upon  this  pronounced  in  Perote, 
declaring  the  election  of  Guerrero  valid.  Attacked 
by  the  troops  of  the  regular  army,  if  such  it  may  be 
called,  he  entrenched  himself  in  Oaxaca,  in  the  Con- 
vent of  St.  Domingo,  where  he  defended  himself 
with  the  greatest  bravery  and  ingenuity,  until  events 
made  it  useless  to  contest  him  any  longer,  and  he 
was  released. 

A mutiny  broke  out  in  the  capital,  Pedraza 
fled  to  Vera  Cruz  and  thence  to  New  Orleans ; 
flames  burst  forth  all  over  the  city,  threatening  its 
destruction,  while  the  populace  ran  about  crying 
“ Viva  la  Libertad  ! ” The  Parian,  where  great  wealth 
of  gold,  jewels,  and  rich  stuff  were  stored,  was  ut- 
terly destroyed.  From  December  3d  for  several 
days  the  town  was  given  over  to  pillage,  the  doors 
of  the  warehouses  were  driven  in,  and  every  thing 
seized.  The  greatest  confusion,  anarchy  in  fact, 
reigned  in  the  capital,  beyond  any  effort  on  the  part 
of  the  revolutionary  leaders  to  restrain  the  disorder. 
For  more  than  a month  afterward  stolen  goods  from 
the  Parian Were  openly  sold  in  the  public  squares. 
The  desolation  of  the  city  on  the  night  after  the 
first  outburst  is  described  by  one  of  the  principal 
actors.  The  sack,  which  had  begun  in  the  morning 


276 


THE  STORY  OF  AT  EX  ICO. 


of  the  3d,  had  ceased  for  the  night.  Sepulchral 
silence  reigned  in  the  vast  city  In  the  palace  was 
General  Victoria,  alone,  abandoned  even  by  his 
servants.  The  shops  and  warehouses  stood  open 
and  empty,  with  shattered  doors,  their  contents 
carried  off  and  strewn  about  the  streets.  Not  a 
voice  was  to  be  heard  but  the  sound  of  the  hour  an- 
nounced by  the  screno,  from  time  to  time  breaking 
the  silence  which  had  fallen  upon  the  inhabitants  of 
the  capital. 

Thus  closed  the  year  1828,  and  the  government  of 
the  first  President.  During  his  term  Texas  was  col- 
onized by  Austin,  with  three  hundred  families,  an 
event  to  be  remembered  on  account  of  its  connec- 
tion with  the  war  of  the  United  States.  In  the  same 
year  the  government  of  the  United  States  recog- 
nized the  independence  of  Mexico. 

Manuel  Gomez  Pedraza,  by  virtue  of  his  majority 
of  two,  assumed  the  office  of  President.  As  an 
officer  in  the  Spanish  army  he  was  distinguished  for 
his  severe  discipline  and  strict  moral  conduct.  He 
had  supported  Yturbide,  who  made  him  Commander- 
General  of  Mexico.  He  was  Minister  of  War  under 
Victoria,  in  which  office  he  was  distinguished  for  his 
great  activity. 

The  ferment  which  succeeded  the  election  was  in- 
creased by  the  reports  of  Santa  Anna’s  conduct  at 
Oaxaca.  The  army  besieging  him  melted  and  ran 
off.  Both  Pedraza  and  Guerrero  disappeared. 

Pedraza  left  the  Republic.  After  another  revolu- 
tion, hearing  that  “ the  Constitution  and  laws  were 
established,”  he  returned  to  Vera  Cruz,  but  was  met 


SANTA  ANNA. 


2 77 


by  an  order  which  forbade  him  to  enter  the  country, 
and  he  withdrew  to  New  Orleans,  to  bide  his  time, 
while  Congress  declared  in  favor  of  Guerrero,  who 
ventured  to  return  and  try  his  hand  as  President. 

Santa  Anna  distinguished  himself  by  resisting  the 
troops  sent  by  Spain,  somewhat  late,  after  the 
manana  methods  of  both  countries,  to  resent  the 
secession  of  their  dependent  colony.  A Spanish 
force  from  Cuba,  by  royal  mandate  of  King  Ferdi- 
nand, landed  at  Tampico.  This  invasion  aroused 
the  patriotism  of  the  country.  Santa  Anna,  with- 
out waiting  for  any  orders,  fitted  out  a force  in  Vera 
Cruz  and  advanced  against  the  invaders,  combining 
on  his  way  with  the  troops  of  government.  Their 
action  was  vigorous,  and  the  Spanish  commander, 
Barradas,  capitulated  after  two  days,  and  returned 
to  Cuba  with  what  was  left  of  his  army.  This  was 
the  only  attempt  made  by  Spain  to  win  back  her 
lost  province.  The  wealth  which  Cortes  had  poured 
into  her  coffers  had  long  ceased  to  flow  with  regu- 
larity, and  its  source  was  now  shut  off  from  her. 

In  reward  for  this  good  service,  Santa  Anna  was 
made  Minister  of  War  and  Commander-in-Chief  by 
President  Guerrero,  but  instead  of  being  grateful, 
he  turned  his  powers  against  him,  and  with  the 
army  overthrew  his  government  and  put  Bustamente 
in  his  place.  This  general  was  already  Vice-Presi- 
dent ; he  and  Santa  Anna  pronounced  the  Plan  of 
Jalapa,  at  that  place.  Guerrero  set  out  at  the  head 
of  a few  troops,  but  scarcely  had  he  left  the  city 
when  the  garrison  there  pronounced  in  favor  of  one 
Bocanegro.  Between  two  pronunciamentos,  Guer- 


278 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


rero  once  more  withdrew  to  the  mountains  of  the 
south,  where  he  took  arms  against  his  enemies,  and 
Bustamente  became  President.  It  was  under  his 
government  that  a disgraceful  method  was  taken  to 
get  rid  of  Guerrero.  Persuaded  that  they  could  not 
conquer  him  in  open  field,  the  ruling  party  bribed  a 
Genoese  sailor  to  decoy  Guerrero  on  board  his  lit- 
tle bark,  Colombo , in  the  bay  of  Acapulco.  The  Gen- 
eral was  invited  to  dinner  as  a guest,  and  accepted 
in  good  faith.  No  sooner  was  the  meal  over  than 
he  was  told  of  the  plot.  Without  power  to  resist,  he 
saw  the  sails  set,  and  was  carried  forcibly  to  the  little 
bark,  on  which  he  was  forcibly  detained,  heading 
towards  another  port,  where  he  was  handed  over  to  his 
enemies.  A few  officials  went  through  the  form  of 
a military  trial  and  condemned  him  to  death.  He  was 
shot,  in  the  pueblo  of  Cuilapa,  on  the  15th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1831.  Guerrero  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
martyrs  of  the  country,  and  two  monuments  in  his 
honor  adorn  the  city  of  Mexico. 

Bustamente  did  not  long  enjoy  his  repose.  Santa 
Anna  pronounced  again  in  favor  of  his  former  oppo- 
nent, Pedraza,  who,  in  the  opinion  of  many,  had 
never  stopped  being  President.  But  early  in  1833 
our  Mexican  Warwick,  yielding  to  popular  pressure, 
consented  to  be  President  himself.  He  now  left  the 
radical  party  and,  like  many  another  reformer  in 
office,  became  conservative  and  joined  the  Central- 
ists. He  was  a favorite  with  the  army,  who  after  a 
time  made  him  Dictator,  in  spite  of  the  distrust  of 
the  nation,  who  believed  that  he  aimed  at  imperial 
dignities. 


SANTA  ANNA. 


279 


The  Vice-President  at  this  time  was  Valentin 
Gomez  Farias,  whose  merits  deserve  notice.  He 
was  a native  of  Guadalajara,  born  in  February,  1781. 
He  studied  medicine,  and  made  good  advances  in 
the  scientific  discoveries  of  his  time.  He  was  ap- 
pointed to  the  Cortes  of  Spain  ; but  organized  in- 
stead a battalion  in  aid  of  Hidalgo  in  the  cause  of 
independence,  sacrificing  to  it  his  career  and  his  per- 
sonal fortune.  He  was  elected  deputy  to  the  Con- 
gress of  Morelos,  and  afterwards  made  governor  of 
the  state  of  Zacatecas.  In  1833  he  was  chosen 
Vice-President,  and,  events  afterwards  bringing  him 
to  occupy  the  first  place  in  the  government,  he  dis- 
played great  capacity  for  business  and  the  cares  of 
office,  repressing  pronunciamentos,  unmasking  in- 
trigues, and  preserving  always  an  honorable  reputa- 
tion. Forced  to  abandon  the  presidency,  he  escaped 
to  the  United  States  to  avoid  assassination,  selling 
his  ample  library  to  raise  funds,  thus  leaving  Santa 
Anna  in  full  possession  of  the  field.  The  Federal 
Constitution  was  done  away  with,  state  legislatures 
abolished,  and  the  governors  of  the  states  became 
dependent  upon  central  power. 

The  insurrection  in  Texas  now  broke  out  into 
open  rebellion.  Santa  Anna  took  the  field  in 
person,  reaching  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte  with  an 
army  of  six  thousand  men  in  February,  1836.  He 
at  first  was  successful,  but  after  one  or  two  triumphs 
his  army  was  completely  routed,  and  he  himself 
made  prisoner  by  the  Texan  army  under  Houston. 
Santa  Anna  was  taken  to  the  United  States  by  his 
conquerors.  During  his  captivity  he  made  a treaty 


28o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


with  the  Texans,  which  amounted  to  nothing  at  all, 
as  his  functions  were  suspended  by  the  Mexican 
government.  The  next  year  he  was  set  at  liberty 
and  returned  to  his  native  country.  He  was  coldly 
received,  and  at  the  presidential  election  that  year 
received  only  two  electoral  votes  out  of  sixty-nine. 

He  again  retired  to  his  estate  near  Jalapa,  twenty- 
seven  miles  from  Vera  Cruz;  and,  we  may  suppose, 
contemplated  with  content  a period  of  repose  after 
action,  and  an  opportunity  to  renew  the  acquaint- 
ance of  his  family,  from  which  a life  of  such  variety 
had  separated  him. 


XXIX. 

STILL  SANTA  ANNA. 

The  Bourbons  had  regained  possession  of  the 
government  of  France,  and  Louis  Philippe,  under 
the  title  of  King  of  the  French,  was  upon  the 
throne.  He  was  the  head  of  the  younger  branch 
of  the  Bourbons,  Duke  of  Orleans.  Military  glory 
was  a requisite  to  his  security  upon  the  throne  ; 
among  other  enterprises  the  government  sent  an 
expedition  to  Mexico  to  settle  by  force  a long- 
pending  discussion  of  demands  due  them  since  their 
civil  wars,  as  damages  incurred  by  French  citizens. 
One  of  the  items  of  this  claim  was  sixty  thousand 
dollars  demanded  by  a French  cook  for  pastry  stolen 
from  him  by  revolutionists.  The  claim  received  the 
name  of  the  reclamation  dc  los  pastclcs , a claim  for 
pie.  It  was  denied  in  toto  by  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment. The  French  squadron,  commanded  by  the 
Prince  de  Joinville,  captured  the  fortress  of  San 
Juan  de  Uloa,  and  occupied  Vera  Cruz  on  the  5th 
of  December. 

Out  came  Santa  Anna  and  offered  his  services,  and 
taking  command  after  the  fall  of  the  castle,  he  re- 
pelled the  French  from  the  city  and  forced  them  to 
return  to  their  ships.  In  this  encounter  he  received 


282 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


a wound  in  the  leg,  which  made  it  necessary  to 
amputate  it,  and  afterwards  he  always  wore  a 
wooden  leg.  Mexico  in  the  end  consented  to  make 
a treaty  of  peace  by  paying  the  sum  demanded, — 
and  the  French  fleet  sailed  away. 

Madame  Calderon  describes  the  home  of  Santa 
Anna  at  Manga  la  Clava,  twenty-seven  miles  from 
Vera  Cruz,  approached  through  a wilderness  of  trees 
and  flowers,  the  growth  of  the  tierra  caliente , and 
passing  over  leagues  of  natural  garden,  the  property 
of  Santa  Anna. 

The  house  was  pretty  and  in  nice  order.  General 
Santa  Anna  was  a gentlemanly,  good-looking, 
quietly  dressed,  rather  melancholy-looking  person, 
with  a wooden  leg.  Knowing  nothing  of  his  past 
history,  he  might  have  been  thought  a philosopher, 
living  in  dignified  retirement,  one  who  had  tried  the 
world  and  found  it  all  vanity,  one  who  had  suffered 
ingratitude,  and  who,  if  he  were  ever  persuaded  to 
emerge  from  his  retreat,  would  only  do  so,  like  Cin- 
cinnatus,  for  the  benefit  of  his  country. 

It  was  only  now  and  then  in  conversation  that  the 
expression  of  his  eye  was  startling,  especially  when 
he  spoke  of  his  leg,  which  was  cut  off  below  the 
knee.  He  gave  an  account  of  the  wound,  and  in 
alluding  to  the  French  his  countenance  assumed  an 
alarming  appearance  of  bitterness. 

In  1837  Bustamente  was  recalled.  On  the  succes- 
sion of  Pedraza  to  the  presidency,  he  had  been  ban- 
ished, and  went  away  to  pursue  his  medical  studies  in 
France  : for  he,  like  Farias,  had  received  a diploma 
as  doctor  of  medicine,  and  had  been  the  family  phy 


STILL ' SANTA  ■ ANNA, 


283' 

sician  of  the  viceroy  Calleja.  He  returned  to  Mexico 
on  the  outbreak  of  the  Texan  revolution,  was  made 
President,  and  filled  the  office  with  dignity  and  re- 
spectability, whenever  he  was  allowed  to,  by  his  untir- 
ing enemy,  or  rival,  Santa  Anna,  who,  however,  was 
sometimes  on  his  side.  In  1840  there  was  trouble 


INDIAN  HUT  IN  THE  TIERRA  CALIENTE. 


again,  with  Santa  Anna  at  the  head  of  the  govern- 
ment forces.  Against  him  was  arrayed  General 
Mejia,  a Mexican  known  for  his  valor,  which  amount- 
ed to  rashness.  He  was  a rival  and  personal  enemy 
to  Santa  Anna,  and  the  struggle  between  them  was 


284 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


a duel  h la  mort.  Fate  was  against  Mejia  and  he 
perished.  Taken  prisoner  on  the  field  of  battle  at 
the  hacienda  La  Blanca,  he  was  shot.  It  is  said 
that,  being  informed  of  the  sentence  of  death  passed 
upon  him,  he  asked  when  he  was  to  be  shot. 

“ In  three  hours,”  answered  the  official. 

“If  Santa  Anna  had  fallen  into  my  power,  I 
should  have  given  him  only  three  minutes,”  was  his 
reply. 

There  have  been  other  generals  of  the  same  name 
and  family  who  have  shown  equal  bravery  in  death. 

In  September,  1841,  occurred  another  brief  revo- 
lution, so  fully  described  by  Madame  Calderon,  that 
it  may  serve  as  a specimen.  She  says : 

“This  revolution  is  like  a game  of  chess,  in  which 
kings,  castles,  knights,  and  bishops  are  making  differ- 
ent moves,  while  the  pawns  are  looking  on  and 
taking  no  part  whatever. 

“To  understand  the  state  of  the  board,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  explain  the  position  of  the  four  principal 
pieces, — Santa  Anna,  Bustamente,  Paredes,  and  Val- 
encia. The  first  move  was  made  by  Paredes,  who 
published  his  ‘ Plan,’  and  pronounced  on  the  8th 
of  August,  at  Guadalajara.  Shortly  after  a news- 
paper of  Vera  Cruz,  entirely  devoted  to  Santa  Anna, 
pronounced  in  favor  of  the  ‘ Plan  ’ of  Paredes,  and 
Santa  Anna,  with  a few  miserable  troops,  and  a 
handful  of  cavalry,  arrived  at  Perote.  Here  he  re- 
mains for  the  present,  kept  in  check  by  the  govern- 
ment forces.  Meanwhile  Paredes,  with  about  six 
hundred  men,  left  Guadalajara  and  marched  upon 
Guanajuato,  and  there  a blow  was  given  to  the 


STILL  SANTA  ANNA. 


285 


government  party  through  the  defection  of  General 
Cortazar,  who  thought  fit  thus  to  show  his  grateful 
sense  of  having  just  received  the  rank  of  general  of 
brigade,  with  the  insignia  of  this  new  grade,  which 
the  President  put  on  with  his  own  hands.  Another 
check  to  the  President.  Once  begun,  defection 
spread  rapidly,  and  Paredes  and  Cortazar,  having 
advanced  upon  Queretaro,  found  that  the  General 
there  had  pronounced  just  at  the  moment  he  was 
expected  in  Mexico  to  assist  the  government. 

“ Meanwhile  General  Valencia,  pressed  to  declare 
his  ‘ Plan,’  has  replied  that  he  awaits  the  announce- 
ment of  the  intention  of  the  Generals  Paredes  and 
Santa  Anna,  and  for  his  own  part  he  only  desires  the 
dismissal  of  Bustamente. 

“ This,  then,  is  the  position  of  the  three  pro- 
nounced chiefs,  on  this  second  day  of  September  of 
the  year  of  our  Lord,  1841  : Santa  Anna  in  Perote, 
hesitating  whether  to  advance  or  retreat,  and  in  fact 
prevented  from  doing  either;  Paredes  in  Queretaro, 
with  the  other  revolted  generals;  Valencia  in  the 
citadel  of  Mexico  with  his  pronunciados  ; while  Bus- 
tamente, the  mark  against  which  all  these  hostile 
operations  are  directed,  is  determined,  it  is  said,  to 
fight  to  the  last. 

“ Mexico  looks  as  if  it  had  got  a general  holiday. 
Shops  shut  up  and  all  business  at  a stand.  The 
people  with  the  utmost  apathy  are  collected  in 
groups  talking  quietly  ; officers  are  galloping  about, 
generals  in  a somewhat  party-colored  dress,  with 
large  gray  hats  (sombreros),  striped  pantaloons,  old 
coats,  and  generals’  belts,  fine  horses,  and  crimson 


286 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


velvet  saddles.  The  shopkeepers  in  the  square  have 
been  removing  their  goods  and  money.  An  occa- 
sional shot  is  heard,  sometimes  a volley,  followed  by 
a dead  silence.  The  archbishop  shows  his  reverend 
face  now  and  then  upon  the  balcony  of  his  palace, 
looks  out  a little  while,  and  then  retires.  The  chief 
effect  so  far  is  universal  idleness  for  man  and  beast, 
the  soldiers  and  their  quadrupeds  excepted. 

“ It  is  said  that  the  Federalists  are  very  much 
elated,  hoping  for  the  eventual  triumph  of  their  party 
in  consequence  of  a proclamation  by  Valencia  which 
appeared  two  days  ago.  Since  then  the  revolution 
has  taken  the  name  of  liberal  and  is  supported  by 
men  of  name,  the  Pedrazas,  Belderas,  Riva  Palacio, 
which  is  of  great  importance  to  Valencia.  Besides 
this  it  is  said  that  certain  rich  bankers,  on  the  side  of 
the pronunciados  are  constantly  supplying  the  citadel 
with  cart-loads  of  copper. 

“ The  conduct  of  the  people  is  a constant  source  of 
surprise.  Left  entirely  uncurbed,  no  one  to  direct 
them,  thousands  out  of  employment,  many  without 
bread,  they  do  not  complain,  and  scarcely  seem  to 
feel  any  interest  in  the  result.  How  easily  might 
such  a people  be  directed  for  their  good  ! It  is  said 
that  all  their  apathetic  sympathies  are  in  favor  of 
Bustamente.” 

Several  days  later  she  describes  the  army  of  the 
pronunciados  on  their  way  to  the  capital:  “The  in- 
fantry, it  must  be  confessed,  was  in  a ragged  and 
rather  drunken  condition  ; the  cavalry,  better  clad, 
have  borrowed  fresh  horses  as  they  went  along, 
which,  with  their  high  saddles,  bronzed  faces,  and 


STILL  SANTA  ANNA. 


287 


picturesque  attire,  had  a fine  effect  as  they  passed 
along  under  the  burning  sun.  The  sick  followed  on 
asses,  and  amongst  them  various  masculine  women, 
with  scrapes  and  large  straw  hats,  tied  down  with 
colored  handkerchiefs,  mounted  on  mules  or  horses. 
The  sumpter-mules  followed,  carrying  provisions, 
camp-beds,  etc.,  and  Indian  women  trotted  on  foot 
in  the  rear,  carrying  their  husbands’  boots  and 
clothes.  The  game  is  nearly  up  now.  Check  from 
two  knights  and  a castle — Santa  Anna  and  Paredes 
in  Tacubaya,  and  Valencia  in  the  citadel. 

“ The  end  of  this,  after  some  little  firing  on  both 
sides,  was  a capitulation.  Bustamente  renounced  the 
presidency,  and  Santa  Anna  was  triumphant.  He 
made  his  solemn  entry  into  the  capital,  with  the 
Generals  Valencia  and  Canalizo  at  the  head  of  the 
forces.  Not  a solitary  viva  was  heard  as  they  passed 
along  the  streets,  nor  afterwards,  during  his  speech 
in  Congress.  Immediately  after  the  ceremony 
Santa  Anna  retired  to  the  archbishop’s  palace,  in 
Tacubaya,  in  a splendid  coach,  drawn  by  four  beau- 
tiful white  horses,  a retinue  of  other  carriages, 
brilliant  aides-de-camp,  and  an  immense  escort  of 
cavalry. 

“Thus  ended  the  revolution  of  1841  : but  no  one 
felt  that  its  results  were  going  to  be  permanent. 

“ On  the  4th  of  November  a great  function  was 
given  in  the  opera  of  the  capital  in  honor  of  his  Ex- 
cellency. The  theatre  was  brilliantly  illuminated 
with  wax  lights.  Two  principal  boxes  were  thrown 
into  one  for  the  President  and  his  suite,  and  lined  with 
crimson  and  gold,  with  draperies  of  the  same.  The 


288 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


staircase  leading  to  the  box  was  lighted  by  rows  of 
footmen  all  the  way  up,  in  crimson  and  gold  livery. 
A crowd  of  gentlemen  stood  waiting  in  the  lobby  for 
the  arrival  of  the  hero  of  the  fete.  He  came  at 
last,  in  regal  state,  carriages  and  outriders  at  full 
gallop,  himself,  staff,  and  suite  in  splendid  uniforms. 
As  he  entered,  the  libretto  of  the  opera  was  pre- 
sented to  him,  bound  in  red  and  gold.  His  expres- 
sion was  resigned  and  rather  melancholy,  his  man- 
ner grave  but  agreeable  ; surrounded  by  pompous 
officers,  he  alone  looked  quiet,  gentlemanly,  and 
high-bred. 

“The  theatre  was  crowded  to  suffocation — boxes, 
pit,  and  galleries.  There  was  no  applause  as  he  en- 
tered. One  solitary  voice  in  the  pit  said  : ‘ Viva 
Santa  Anna  ! ’ but  it  seemed  checked  by  a slight 
movement  of  disapprobation,  scarcely  amounting  to 
a murmur. 

“The  generals,  in  their  scarlet  and  gold  uniforms, 
sat,  like  peacocks,  surrounding  Santa  Anna,  who 
looked  modest  and  retiring,  as  if  quite  unaccustomed 
to  public  gaze.” 

General  Bustamente,  as  usual,  resigned  his  power 
to  Santa  Anna  without  further  struggle,  and  with- 
drew to  Europe,  where  he  remained  several  years. 
After  the  fall  of  Santa  Anna  in  1845,  he  returned  to 
his  country,  establishing  his  residence  in  the  in- 
terior. He  died  a natural  death  in  San  Miguel  de 
Allende  in  1853. 

We  will  leave  Santa  Anna  in  his  opera-box,  sur- 
rounded by  brilliant  officers  and  fair  ladies  spark- 
ling with  diamonds,  until  the  time  comes  to  take  up 
his  story  again. 


CATUmRAL — CITY  OF  MEXICO. 


XXX. 

SOCIETY. 

A CLEAR  picture  of  the  state  of  society  in  Mexico, 
at  this  period  is  given  in  the  journal,  before  quoted, 
of  Madame  Calderon  de  la  Barca,  published  without 
her  name  in  1843,  with  a preface  by  Prescott,  the 
historian. 

For  some  time  after  the  violent  separation  of  the 
colony  from  the  mother  country,  Spain  made  no  ef- 
fort to  recognize  her  truant,  grown-up  Mexico.  It 
was  not  until  1839  that  its  independence  was  finally 
acknowledged,  and  its  right  to  be  regarded  as  a 
friendly  state,  by  Spain.  In  that  year  Senor  Don 
Calderon  de  la  Barca  was  sent  by  Ferdinand  VII.  as 
accredited  Ambassador  to  the  Republic  of  Mexico 
where  Bustamente  was  then  President.  The  occa- 
sion was  hailed  with  satisfaction  by  all  parties  as  a 
signal  of  peace  between  the  two  countries;  the  re- 
maining Mexicans  of  Spanish  blood  especially  hailed 
the  arrival  of  such  an  agreeable  accession  to  society 
as  Madame  Calderon,  a very  accomplished  woman, 
whose  lively  letters,  not  at  all  intended  for  publica- 
tion, give  an  account  of  Mexican  scenery  and  man- 
ners, useful  to  help  us  in  our  knowledge  of  them  at 
that  time,  a sort  of  interregnum  between  the  old 


SOCIETY. 


291 

Spanish  influences  and  the  present  full-fledged  con- 
dition of  the  Republic.  Civil  war  had  already  much 
disturbed  the  old  Spanish  landmarks,  but  much  re- 
mained of  the  customs  of  provincial  society,  espe- 
cially among  the  higher  class  in  the  capital.  Balls, 
receptions,  the  opera,  were  kept  up  with  something 
of  the  splendor  of  viceregal  days,  their  revival  stim- 
ulated by  this  fresh  arrival  from  a European  court. 

Madame  Calderon  loved  to  wander  under  the  cy- 
presses of  Chapultepec.  In  her  day  the  viceregal 
apartments  were  lonely  and  abandoned,  for  the  gov- 
ernor, in  whose  hands  they  then  were,  did  not  care  to 
live  there.  The  walls  were  falling  to  ruin,  the  glass 
of  the  windows  and  the  carved  work  of  the  doors 
had  been  sold,  so  that  the  interior  was  exposed  to 
every  wind  that  blew  around  the  lofty  height. 

She  describes  the  gayety  of  the  Paseo,  a long,  broad 
avenue  planted  with  trees,  with  a large  stone  foun- 
tain, whose  sparkling  waters  were  cool  and  pleasant, 
ornamented  by  a gilt  statue  of  Victory.  Here,  every 
evening,  but  more  especially  Sundays  and  fete  days, 
were  to  be  seen  two  long  rows  of  carriages  filled  with 
ladies,  crowds  of  gentlemen  on  horseback  riding 
down  the  middle  between  them,  soldiers  at  intervals 
keeping  order,  and  multitudes  of  common  people 
and  beggars  on  foot.  The  carriages  were  for  the 
most  part  extremely  handsome — European  coaches 
with  fine  horses  and  odd  liveries,  others  in  the  old 
Mexican  fashion,  heavy  and  covered  with  gilding. 
Hackney-coaches  drawn  by  mules  were  seen  among 
the  finer  equipages.  Most  families  had  both  horses 
and  mules  in  their  stables,  the  latter  animal  requir- 


2C)2 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ing  less  care  than  a horse,  and  capable  of  enduring 
more  fatigue.  Carratclas,  open  at  the  sides,  with 
glass  windows,  were  filled  with  ladies  in  full  toilet, 
without  mantillas,  their  heads  uncovered  and  gen- 
erally coiffecs  with  flowers  as  jewels.  Equestrians, 
on  fine  horses  and  handsome  Mexican  asses,  passed 
and  repassed  the  carriages  without  stopping  for  con- 
versation. Her  favorite  promenade  was  the  Viga, 
where,  as  in  Montezuma’s  time  and  long  before,  in 
Humboldt’s,  in  our  own,  the  Indians,  early  in  the 
morning,  brought  flowers  and  vegetables  to  market 
by  the  canal.  There  was  profusion  of  sweet  peas, 
double  poppies,  blue-bottles,  stock  gilly-flowers  and 
roses.  Each  Indian  woman  in  her  canoa  looked  as  if 
seated  in  a floating  flower-garden,  crowned  with  gar- 
lands of  roses  or  poppies.  “ Those  who  sit  in  the 
market,”  she  says,  “ selling  their  fruit  or  vegetables, 
appear  as  if  in  bowers  formed  of  fresh  green  branches 
and  many-colored  flowers.  In  the  poorest  village 
church  the  floor  is  strewed  with  flowers,  and  with 
flowers  are  adorned  the  baby  at  its  christening,  the 
bride  at  the  altar,  the  dead  body  upon  the  bier.” 

In  answer  to  questions  about  the  society  women 
of  Mexico,  Madame  Calderon  writes:  “I  must  put 
aside  exceptions,  which  are  always  rising  up  before 
me,  and  write  en  masse.  Generally  speaking,  the 
Mexican  sehoras  and  senoritas  write,  read,  and  play 
a little;  sew,  and  take  care  of  their  houses  and  chil- 
dren. When  I say  they  read,  I mean  they  know  how 
to  read  ; when  I say  they  write,  I do  not  mean  that 
they  can  always  spell,  and  when  I say  they  play,  I 
do  not  assert  that  they  have  a general  knowledge  of 


'VOIA  3HX 


294 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


music.  The  climate  inclines  every  one  to  indolence, 
both  physical  and  moral.  One  cannot  pore  over  a 
book  when  the  blue  sky  is  constantly  smiling  in  at 
the  open  windows.”  She  says  that  there  are  no 
women  in  the  world  more  affectionate  in  their  man- 
ners than  the  Mexicans,  and  that  they  invariably 
make  excellent  wives,  if  they  are  settled  at  home 
with  their  husbands. 

Madame  Calderon  describes  the  appearance  of  the 
Plaza  on  Good-Friday: 

“ The  most  beautiful  and  original  scene  was  pre- 
sented towards  sunset  in  the  great  square,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  any  other  city  in  the  world  could 
present  a coup  d'ceil  of  equal  brilliancy.  The  Plaza 
itself,  even  on  ordinary  days,  is  a noble  square,  and 
but  for  its  one  fault,  a row  of  shops  called  the 
Parian,  which  breaks  its  uniformity,  would  be  nearly 
unrivalled.  Every  object  is  interesting.  The  eye 
wanders  from  the  Cathedral  to  the  house  of  Cortes 
(the  Monte  de  Piedad),  and  from  thence  to  a range 
of  fine  buildings,  with  lofty  arcades  to  the  west. 
From  a balcony  we  could  see  all  the  different 
streets  that  branch  out  from  the  square  covered 
with  gay  crowds  pouring  in  that  direction  to  see  a 
great  procession  which  was  expected  to  pass  in  front 
of  the  palace.  Booths,  filled  with  refreshments  and 
covered  with  green  branches  and  garlands  of  flowers, 
were  to  be  seen  in  all  directions,  surrounded  by  a 
crowd  quenching  their  thirst  with  orgeat,  lemonade, 
or  pulque.  The  whole  square,  from  the  Cathedral 
to  the  portalcs,  was  covered  with  thousands  and  tens 
pf  thousands  of  figures,  all  in  their  gayest  dresses. 


SOCIETY. 


295 


and  as  the  sun  poured  his  rays  down  upon  their  gaudy 
colors,  they  looked  like  armies  of  living  tulips.  Here 
was  to  be  seen  a group  of  ladies,  some  with  black 
gowns  and  mantillas,  others,  now  that  their  church- 
going duty  was  over,  equipped  in  velvet  or  satin, 
with  their  hair  dressed— and  beautiful  hair  they  have  ; 
some  leading  their  children  by  the  hand,  dressed — 
alas,  how  they  were  dressed  ! Long,  velvet  gowns 
trimmed  with  blonde,  diamond  earrings,  high  French 
caps  befurbelowed  with  lace  and  flowers,  or  turbans 
with  plumes  of  feathers.  Now  and  then,  the  head  of 
a little  thing  that  could  hardly  waddle  alone,  might 
have  belonged  to  an  English  dowager-duchess  in 
her  opera-box.  Some  had  extraordinary  bonnets, 
and  as  they  toddled  along,  top-heavy,  one  would 
have  thought  they  were  little  old  women,  without  a 
glimpse  caught  of  their  lovely  little  brown  faces  and 
blue  eyes.  The  children  here  are  very  beautiful  ; 
they  have  little  color,  with  swimming  black  or  hazel 
eyes,  and  long  lashes  resting  on  the  clear  pale  cheek, 
and  a mass  of  fine  dark  hair  plaited  down  behind. 

“ As  a contrast  to  the  senoras,  with  their  over- 
dressed beauties,  were  the  poor  Indian  women,  trot- 
ting across  the  square,  their  black  hair  plaited  with 
dirty  red  ribbon,  a piece  of  woollen  cloth  wrapped 
round  them,  and  a little  mahogany  baby  hanging 
behind,  its  face  upturned  to  the  sky,  and  its  head 
jerking  along,  somehow,  without  its  neck  being  dis- 
located. The  most  resigned  expression  on  earth  is 
that  of  an  Indian  baby.  All  these  groups  are  col- 
lected by  hundreds,  the  women  of  the  shop-keeper 
class  in  their  small  white  embroidered  gowns,  with 


296 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


white  satin  shoes  and  neat  feet  and  ankles,  rebozos , 
or  bright  shawls,  thrown  over  their  heads;  the  peas- 
ants and  countrywomen,  with  short  petticoats  of 
two  colors,  generally  scarlet  and  yellow,  thin  satin 
shoes  and  lace-trimmed  chemises,  or  bronze-colored 
damsels,  all  crowned  with  flowers,  strolling  along, 
tingling  light  guitars. 

“ Add  to  this  motley  crowd,  men  dressed  a la  Mcx- 
icaine,  with  large  ornamented  hats  and  scrapes , or 
embroidered  jackets,  sauntering  along,  smoking 
their  cigars  ; leperos,  in  rags,  Indians  in  blankets,  of- 
ficers in  uniform,  priests  in  their  shovel  hats,  monks 
of  every  order;  Frenchmen  exercising  their  wit 
upon  the  passers-by  ; Englishmen  looking  on,  cold 
and  philosophical  ; Germans  gazing  through  their 
spectacles,  mild  and  mystical  ; Spaniards,  seeming 
pretty  much  at  home,  abstaining  from  remarks; 
aid  it  may  be  conceived  that  the  scene,  at  least, 
presents  variety. 

“Suddenly  the  tinkling  of  a bell  announces  the 
apj.  •'■'ach  o Nziesiro  Amo  (the  Host).  Instantly  the 
whole  _..owd  are  on  their  knees,  crossing  themselves 
devoutly.  Disputes  are  hushed,  flirtations  arrested, 
and  to  the  busy  hum  of  voices  succeeds  a pro- 
found silence,  filled  only  by  the  rolling  of  coach- 
wheels  and  the  sound  of  the  little  bell.” 

This  scene  is  almost  the  same  to-day  in  the  pub- 
lic square  on  Good-Friday.  The  costumes  of  the 
higher  class  have  now  surrendered  to  conventional 
Paris  models,  but  there  is  a tendency  to  gaudiness 
and  display,  defying  fashion,  which  makes  a Mexi- 
can crowd  bright  with  variegated  color. 


SOCIETY. 


297 


Madame  Calderon’s  accounts  of  the  unsettled 
state  of  the  country  are  comforting,  as  showing  the 
immense  advance  in  this  respect,  in  the  forty  years 
since  she  was  in  Mexico. 

Describing  an  hacienda  not  far  from  the  capital, 
she  says  : “ It  is  under  the  charge  of  an  adminis- 
trador , who  receives  from  its  owner  a large  annual 
sum,  and  whose  place  is  by  no  means  a sinecure,  as 
he  lives  in  perpetual  danger  from  robbers.  He  is 
captain  of  a troop  of  soldiers,  and  as  his  life  has 
been  spent  in  persecuting  robbers,  he  is  an  object  of 
intense  hatred  to  that  free  and  independent  body. 
He  gave  us  a terrible  account  of  night  attacks  from 
these  men  and  of  his  ineffectual  attempts  to  bring 
them  to  justice.  He  lately  told  the  President  that 
he  thought  of  joining  the  robbers  himself,  as  they 
were  the  only  persons  in  the  Republic  protected  by 
government.” 

“ This  pestilence  of  robbers,"  she  says,  “ which 
infests  the  Republic,  has  never  been  eradicated. 
They  are,  in  fact,  the  outgrowth  of  the  civil  war. 
Sometimes,  in  the  guise  of  insurgents,  taking  an 
active  part  in  the  independence,  they  have  inde- 
pendently laid  waste  the  country,  robbing  all  they 
met.  As  expellers  of  the  Spaniards,  these  armed 
bands  infested  the  roads  between  Vera  Cruz  and 
the  capital,  ruined  all  commerce,  and  without  any 
particular  inquiry  into  political  opinions,  robbed 
and  murdered  in  all  directions.  Whatever  meas- 
ures have  been  from  time  to  time  taken  to  eradi- 
cate this  evil,  its  causes  remain,  and  the  idle  and 
unprincipled  will  always  take  advantage  of  the  dig- 


298 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


organized  state  of  the  country  to  obtain  by  force 
what  they  might  gain  by  honest  labor.” 

Frequent  crosses  by  the  roadside  were  marks  of 
murders  committed  by  these  highwaymen,  yet  the 
Mexican  robbers  had  the  reputation  of  being  kind 
and  considerate  bandits.  She  relates,  as  a proof  of 
their  occasional  moderation,  that  some  ladies  “ were 
travelling  from  Mexico  with  a padre , when  they 
were  met  by  a party  of  robbers,  who  stopped  the 
coach,  and  seized  every  thing,  amongst  other  articles 
of  value,  a number  of  silver  dishes.  The  padre  ob- 
served to  them  that  as  the  plate  did  not  belong  to 
the  ladies,  but  was  lent  them  by  a friend,  they 
would  be  obliged  to  replace  it,  and  requested  that 
one  might  be  left  as  a pattern.  The  reasonable 
creatures  instantly  returned  one  dish  and  a cover. 

“ Another  time,  having  completely  stripped  an 
English  gentleman  and  his  servant,  and  tied  them 
both  to  a tree,  observing  that  the  man  appeareci  dis- 
tressed at  the  loss  of  his  master’s  shoes,  they  polite- 
ly returned  and  laid  the  shoes  beside  the  gentle- 
man.” 

This  drawback  to  Mexican  travel,  the  terrible  bug- 
bear which  still  deters  many  timid  people  from  ven- 
turing themselves  in  the  country,  has  ceased  to 
exist  since  the  establishment  of  real  law  and  order 
in  the  Republic,  and  especially  since  railroads  have 
penetrated  all  the  important  parts  of  the  country. 
The  Gnardias  Rurales,  a mounted  troop  of  patrols,  is 
now  one  of  the  finest  military  organizations  in  the 
world.  It  is  said  that  General  Diaz  sent  for  the 
chiefs  of  brigandage,  notorious  leaders  of  pillaging 


SOCIETY. 


299 


bands,  and  after  inquiring  how  much  they  earned 
on  an  average  by  their  profession,  asked  them  if  they 
had  any  objection  to  receiving  that  sum  honestly, 
in  a settled  income.  The  result  was  the  organiza- 
tion, out  of  this  material,  of  a body  of  guards  to 
protect  the  rural  districts.  They  are  stalwart  men, 
with  splendid  leather  suits  and  gray  sombreros,  all 
ornamented  with  silver.  Their  horses  are  beautiful 
animals,  all  of  the  same  color  in  one  band,  hand- 
somely caparisoned.  The  men  ride  well,  and  the 
effect  of  this  strong  body,  united  in  the  defence  of 
order,  instead  of  lurking  apart  in  defiance  of  it,  is  in 
the  highest  degree  reassuring.  The  result  is  satis- 
factory. Tales  of  highway  robbery  are  relegated  to 
the  same  shado\Vy  region  as  the  legends  of  Aztec 
atrocities.  In  the  northern,  desolate  regions  of 
Mexico,  murders  and  robberies  are  still  perpetrated. 
It  is  often  the  case  that  these  are  committed  by 
other  races  than  Mexicans,  and  very  seldom,  in  pro- 
portion, can  they  be  charged  upon  Indians. 

Elsewhere  is  quoted  Madame  Calderon’s  observa- 
tion of  a pronunciamento.  The  following  note  has 
an  importance  further  on  in  our  story,  of  which  she 
was  at  the  time  unconscious  : 

“ The  whole  world  is  talking  of  a pamphlet  writ- 
ten by  Sehor  Gutierrez  Estrada,  which  has  just  ap- 
peared, and  seems  likely  to  create  a greater  sensa- 
tion in  Mexico  than  the  discovery  of  the  gunpowder 
plot  in  England.  Its  sum  and  substance  is  the  pro- 
posal of  a constitutional  monarchy  in  Mexico,  with 
a foreign  prince  (not  named)  at  its  head,  as  the  only 
remedy  for  the  evils  by  which  it  is  afflicted.  The 


300 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


pamphlet  is  written  merely  in  a speculative  form,  in- 
culcating no  sanguinary  measures,  or  sudden  revo- 
lution ; but  the  consequences  are  likely  to  be  most 
disastrous  to  the  fearless  and  public-spirited  au- 
thor.” 


XXXI. 


RUMORS  OF  WAR. 

We  now  come  to  the  disastrous  period  of  the  war 
with  the  United  States.  Nothing  more  unfortunate 
could  have  befallen  the  struggling  Republic  of 
Mexico  than  to  become  involved  in  a foreign  quarrel. 

For  three  centuries  the  country  had  been  under 
the  hands  of  the  Spanish  government  which  though 
arbitrary,  oppressive,  and  sometimes  tyrannical,  was 
in  general  firm  and  equable,  and  above  all,  safe. 
Laws,  such  as  they  were,  were  enforced.  Personal 
property,  perhaps  ill-gotten,  was  respected.  In  spite 
of  plenty  of  abuses  and  defects,  the  daily  life  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Anahuac  under  the  viceroys  was  com- 
fortable and  secure. 

Suddenly,  imbued  with  the  ideas  of  the  centuries, 
the  Mexicans  began  to  play  at  independence,  like 
children  lighting  matches.  At  the  instigation  of  a 
few  leaders,  some  of  them  it  is  true  with  high  aims, 
actuated  by  the  desire  of  doing  good  for  their  coun- 
try, they  drove  away  their  viceroys,  rejected  the 
strong  arm  of  the  Spanish  authority,  and  undertook 
the  difficult  task  of  governing  themselves.  The 
trouble  was,  not  one  of  them  understood  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  art.  There  were  plenty  of  applicants 


303  tiie  story  of  Mexico. 

for  the  highest  post  of  office.  Many  were  tried,  but 
all  were  found  wanting.  Some  gave  it  up  them- 
selves ; others  returned  again  and  again  to  the  futile 
task  of  making  stable  the  shifting  sands  of  popular 
opinion. 

The  only  appeal  was  to  arms.  Blood  was  shed, 
powder  and  ball  were  spent,  and  a crop  of  military 
heroes  sprung  up,  full  of  ardor,  ready  to  pronounce 
at  the  slightest  occasion,  and  bring  an  army  to  the 
field  at  a moment’s  notice.  The  sound  of  rolling 
cannon  was  familiar  to  every  ear  in  Mexico.  The 
smell  of  powder  had  nothing  alarming  about  it.  The 
very  children  were  satiated  with  the  sight  of  soldiery, 
and  scarcely  troubled  themselves  to  run  to  the  door 
to  see  a regiment  go  by. 

But  this  was  not  warfare,  real  and  serious.  These 
armies  were  not  thoroughly  trained  to  the  discipline 
of  battle,  and  the  generals  were  not  educated  in  the 
science  of  war.  Brave  they  undoubtedly  were,  and 
familiar  with  scenes  of  danger  and  bloodshed  ; too 
familiar,  it  may  be,  to  value  at  its  proper  cost  the 
waste  of  life  and  property  caused  by  so  much  fight- 
ing. Exaggerated  ideas  of  honor  and  glory,  inherent 
to  the  Latin  race,  pervaded  society,  and  the  impres- 
sion prevailed  throughout  the  country  that  the 
Mexican  arms  were  invincible,  because  every  regi- 
ment and  every  general  had,  in  turn,  put  to  rout 
every  other  in  the  country. 

In  this  game  of  independence,  the  Mexican  peo- 
ples had  exhausted  their  resources,  destroyed  in  a 
great  measure  the  industries  of  the  country,  spent 
their  money,  and  wasted  rivers  of  blood.  Many 


304 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


of  their  best  generals  were  either  driven  from  the 
country,  or  dead  upon  the  field.  They  might  have 
gone  on,  it  is  true,  pronouncing  and  killing  each  other 
indefinitely,  but  for  the  sharp  lesson  that  was  taught 
them  by  the  cruel  exigencies  of  a foreign  war. 

That  some  lesson  should  come  was  perhaps  inev- 
itable, like  a quick,  sharp  box  on  the  ears,  to  bring 
such  naughty  children  to  their  senses,  and  stop  their 
foolish  trifling  with  life  and  reputation.  But  it  was 
hard  that  the  blow  should  come  from  the  hand  of  a 
nation  which  ought  to  have  taken  the  place  of  an 
elder  brother  to  these  foolish  and  heedless  children, 
— a hand  which  should  have  gently  led  them  to 
peace  and  reconciliation  instead  of  promoting  dis- 
cord. 

The  Mexicans,  undoubtedly,  helped  to  bring  upon 
themselves  the  misfortunes  that  came  swiftly  upon 
them.  Like  all  people  whose  own  folly  has  put  them 
on  the  wrong  track,  they  were  sure  to  do  the  wrong 
thing.  They  were  heavily  punished  accordingly. 

The  United  States  had  in  a hundred  years  spread 
over  the  great  western  lands  of  North  America  with 
surprising  rapidity,  and  now  approached  the  regions 
which  Cortes  had  laid  claim  to  three  centuries  before. 
This  claim  was  but  vague,  for  the  deserts  and  plains 
of  the  north  were  not  accessible  or  inviting;  still 
some  posts  were  established,  while  the  boundary 
line  which  should  put  a stop  to  the  encroachments 
of  either  country  was  still  unsettled.  The  terri- 
tory west  of  the  Sabine  River  and  east  of  the  Rio 
Grande  came  under  discussion. 

Moses  Austin,  born  in  Durham,  Connecticut,  a 


RUMORS  OF  WAR. 


305 


southwestern  pioneer,  applied  to  the  Mexican  Com- 
mandant-General in  Monterey  in  1820  for  permis- 
sion to  colonize  three  hundred  families  in  Texas. 
Without  waiting  for  his  answer,  he  set  out  towards 
the  Sabine  River,  was  robbed  and  abandoned  in  that 
deserted  waste,  and  died  of  the  disease  he  caught  by 
exposure  soon  after  finding  his  way  back  to  Louis- 
iana. The  grant  was  made,  and  given  to  his  son, 
who  had  it  confirmed  in  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  it 
was  he  who  founded  the  colony  which  has  since  be- 
come the  capital  of  Texas,  named  Austin  after  him. 
More  grants  of  land  were  willingly  made  by  the 
Mexican  government,  who  thou  ght  well  of  encour- 
aging  settlers  as  protectors  against  the  savage 
hordes  that  infested  the  northern  part  of  their 
country;  and  colonization  went  on,  chiefly  by  peo- 
ple of  the  United  States,  until  these  emigrants  to 
Texas  far  outnumbered  the  Mexicans.  The  differ- 
ence of  race  and  education  was  strongly  marked 
between  these  sturdy  settlers  of  Anglo-Saxon  origin, 
and  the  chance  stragglers  from  Mexico,  not  the  best 
specimens  of  the  Latin  race.  This  population  had 
no  sympathy  with  the  pronunciamentos  and  jeal- 
ousies of  the  capital,  and  the  result,  as  we  have  seen, 
was  a revolt  against  Mexican  rule  in  1835,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  acts  of  the  P'ederal  government. 

Santa  Anna  hastened  to  the  scene  with  his  army, 
but  the  rebellious  forces,  under  the  brilliant  command 
of  “Sam”  Houston,  General,  Governor,  and  after- 
ward President,  were  everywhere  triumphant,  and 
Texas  declared  herself  an  independent  Republic, 
which  maintained  its  separate  existence  between 


306 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  two  great  powers  on  each  side  of  it  till  1844, 
recognized  not  only  by  these,  but  by  the  European 
states. 

The  subject  of  the  annexation  of  Texas  to  the 
United  States  began  to  be  spoken  of  and  strongly 
urged  by  the  Texans  themselves  ; but  the  movement 
was  wholly  disapproved  by  the  party  in  that  country 
opposed  to  the  extension  of  slavery,  since  by  the 
agreement  then  existing,  all  new  territory  south  of  a 
certain  line  permitted  slavery,  while  the  States  north 
of  it  abjured  it.  In  spite  of  the  opposition  of  the 
North,  however,  Texas  was  admitted  into  the  Ameri- 
can Union  by  an  act  ratified  in  Congress  in  March 
1845. 

This  act  was  regarded  by  the  Mexicans  as  an  act 
of  aggression.  As  Texas  was  at  the  time  wholly  in- 
dependent of  Mexico,  its  right  was  undoubted  to  an- 
nex itself  to  another  country  ; but  on  the  part  of  the 
United  States  the  act  is  scarcely  to  be  justified  ac- 
cording to  the  laws  of  honor  and  international  good 
faith.  It  was  at  any  rate  approved  only  by  one  sec- 
tion of  the  country,  the  other  regarding  every  addi- 
tional step  leading  to  a foreign  war  with  a neigh- 
boring government  hitherto  friendly,  with  regret  and 
displeasure. 

The  party  which  favored  the  measure  began  to 
make  preparations  for  hostile  demonstrations  with 
alacrity.  The  American  Republic  had  now  long 
been  at  peace.  Prosperous,  safe  from  enemies 
abroad,  peaceful  at  home,  with  plenty  of  money 
in  her  treasury,  her  military  schools  training  a small 
body  of  officers  in  the  latest  science  of  the  art  of  war, 


HUMORS  OF  IV A R. 


307 


she  was  in  perfectly  good  condition  to  resist  an  at- 
tack, and  had  the  cause  been  a popular  one,  every 
State  in  the  Union  would  have  offered  with  alacrity 
volunteer  troops  for  the  field. 

The  correspondence  between  the  two  countries 
grew  embittered,  and  as  time  went  on  more  and  more 
unfriendly.  During  the  negotiation  of  the  treaty  for 
annexation,  war  was  permitted  to  go  on  in  Texas; 
the  government  of  the  United  States  protested.  In 
the  war  of  words  which  followed,  the  Mexicans  made 
and  unfortunately  reiterated  the  declaration  that 
they  should  consider  the  ratification  of  the  treat}" 
as  equivalent  to  a declaration  of  war. 

During  this  period  of  agitation  and  irritation,  the 
Mexicans  went  on  with  “ Plans”  and  pronunciamen- 
lOs.  Herrera  was  President  during  1844,  during 
which  short  period  Congress  decreed  the  destruc- 
tion of  Santa  Anna.  Farias  returned  to  the  Repub- 
lic from  a voluntary  exile  abroad.  General  Paredes 
on  his  way  to  the  north  with  an  army  to  check  the 
approach  of  United  States  forces  pronounced  a revo- 
lution and  “ Plan  ” at  San  Luis,  and  returned  to 
Mexico  to  enforce  it.  He  was  made  President,  and 
remained  in  office  six  months,  giving  way  then  to 
a pronunciamento  against  him  which  resulted  in  put- 
ting General  Don  Nicholas  Bravo  at  the  head  of 
government. 

In  all  this  confusion,  hurrying  to  and  fro  to  find  a 
government,  there  was  no  true  leader  of  affairs  to 
dictate  wise  and  moderate  steps  in  such  an  emer- 
gency. Santa  Anna,  the  military  genius  of  the  coun- 
try’, wras  ready  to  serve  it  in  his  own  way,  by  placing 
himself  at  the  head  of  an  army. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


308 

Troops  were  not  wanting,  for  popular  indignation 
was  roused,  and  popular  vanity  stimulated  by  the 
idea  of  a war  with  the  powerful  neighboring  Repub- 
lic. It  was  pretty  generally  thought  in  the  cities  and 
towns  that  the  result  of  the  combat  would  be  an  easy 
victory.  The  one  thing  Mexicans  were  sure  of  about 
themselves  was  that  they  could  fight,  and  the  popu- 
lar impression  about  the  United  States  on  the  other 
hand,  was  that  they  could  not.  They  had  long  been 
at  peace,  and  without  practice  in  arms,  while  it  was 
well  known  that  the  war  was  unpopular  in  the 
Northern  States. 

The  Mexicans  therefore  rushed  to  arms  with  their 
usual  alacrity,  little  fearing  the  result.  The  Indians, 
all  unconscious  of  the  horrors  of  an  invading  army 
swarming  over  their  villages  and  devastating  the 
country,  saw  armies  marching  towards  the  north 
through  their  pueblos  with  indifference.  Their  eyes 
and  ears  were  but  too  familiar  with  the  sound  of 
drum  and  the  flying  colors  of  the  national  flag. 
Their  interests,  their  liberty,  had  little  to  do  with 
the  tempests  that  raged  over  them. 

The  Mexican  army  was  characterized  by  many  of 
the  necessary  qualities  of  good  soldier}'.  Patient 
and  suffering,  requiring  but  little  subsistence,  with 
great  capacity  for  enduring  fatigue,  and  with  enough 
physical  courage  to  enable  them  to  encounter  danger 
without  fear,  the  Mexican  soldiers  when  properly  led 
compared  well  with  the  troops  of  other  nations.  But 
corruption  existed  among  their  officers  from  the  high- 
est to  the  lowest  grade  ; commissions  were  sometimes 
given  by  the  functionaries  of  government  as  rewards 


RUMORS  OF  WAR. 


309 


for  private  services,  discreditable  to  the  giver  and 
recipient.  The  army  included,  besides  the  troops  of 
the  line,  the  active  battalions  of  the  different  states 
and  the  local  national  guards  of  the  cities. 

The  cavalry  had  a high  reputation,  both  at  home 
and  abroad.  Many  other  corps  were  well  disciplined, 
and  the  men  were  expert  in  all  feats  of  horseman- 
ship, since  riding  is  now  a universal  accomplishment 
in  the  country  where,  three  hundred  years  ago, 
the  horses  of  the  Conquistadores  were  regarded 
as  supernatural  creatures.  Those  of  Mexico  are 
considered  inferior  in  speed  and  power,  though 
possessing  endurance  in  a remarkable  degree.  The 
carbines  with  which  the  cavalry  were  armed  were, 
for  the  most  part,  of  a model  behind  the  times,  and 
useless  when  accuracy  of  aim  was  necessary. 

The  Mexican  artillery  contained  many  foreigners 
among  its  officers  ; its  juniors  were  the  pupils  of  the 
Military  College  at  Chapultepec,  where  they  were 
well  taught  the  theory  of  arms.  Mexican  revolutions 
had  given  them  plenty  of  practice,  and  in  gunnery 
they  were  exceedingly  proficient.  Their  guns  were 
fine,  but  clumsily  mounted,  and  therefore  hard  to 
move.  Light  artillery,  as  practised  by  modern 
troops,  was  but  little  known  or  used  among  the 
Mexicans  until  it  was  taught  them  by  the  enemy. 

The  infantry  was  in  many  respects  tolerably  well 
drilled,  and  severe  discipline  was  enforced  with  the 
privates.  Ceremonious  etiquette  and  detail  duties 
were  punctiliously  observed.  The  muskets  of  the 
infantry  were  inferior,  and  the  men  were  by  no 
means  proficient  in  their  accurate  use. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


310 

The  organization  of  the  staff  depended  much  on 
the  general  who  happened  to  be  in  command.  There 
existed  an  enormous  disproportion  of  generals,  and 
their  number  was  so  great  that  it  was  said  at  the 
time  they  had  rather  a brigade  of  generals  than 
generals  of  brigade.  The  country  was  full  of  arms 
and  munitions  of  war,  such  as  they  were,  of  ancient 
manufacture  ; but  for  replenishing  the  supply,  Mex- 
ico had  no  resources,  beyond  the  repair  of  partial 
damages.  Such  an  establishment  as  a national 
armory  was  unknown  in  the  country. 

Of  maritime  power  Mexico  was  and  is  utterly 
destitute.  A few  steamers  and  sailing-vessels  were 
on  her  list  at  the  beginning  of  hostilities,  but  they 
were  not  put  upon  a war  footing,  and  no  attempt 
was  made  at  naval  warfare. 


XXXII. 

WAR  BEGUN. 

In  the  spring  of  1846,  General  Taylor  of  the  regu- 
lar army  of  the  United  States  was  sent  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Rio  Grande,  or  Rio  Bravo  del  Norte,  as  it  is 
also  called,  with  a small  force.  Mexican  troops  also 
assembled  there,  and  a conflict  was  precipitated  by 
a Mexican  ambuscade  on  the  Texas  side  of  the 
river,  which  attacked  a small  party  of  dragoons, 
reconnoitring.  In  this  skirmish  sixteen  Americans 
were  killed  or  wounded,  and  the  whole  force  was 
captured.  This  was  the  beginning  of  hostilities. 
The  Mexican  army  crossed  the  Rio  Grande,  and  on 
the  8th  of  May  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto  was  fought, 
and  that  of  Resaca  de  la  Palma  on  the  next  day. 
Both  of  these  places  are  on  the  Texas  side  of  the 
river.  The  Mexicans  were  defeated  in  each  engage- 
ment, and  they  left  the  field  with  a better  opinion  of 
the  capacity  of  American  troops  than  the  one  they 
held  before.  The  rout  of  the  Mexicans  was  com- 
plete ; their  pieces  of  light  artillery,  their  camp,  and 
five  hundred  pack-mules  and  saddles  remained  in  the 
hands  of  their  enemies.  General  Arista,  the  com- 
mander of  the  Mexican  force,  lost  his  personal  bag- 
gage, plate,  and  public  correspondence.  The  number 

311 


312 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


of  killed  and  wounded  was  estimated  at  more  than  a 
thousand. 

After  this  action,  both  parties  crossed  the  river, 
and  Mexico  became  the  theatre  of  warfare.  The 
Mexican  army  withdrew  at  first  to  Matamoras,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  afterward  to  San 
Luis  de  Potosi ; Arista  was  deprived  of  his  com- 
mand, and  brought  to  trial  before  a council  of  war. 

This  was  the  opening  of  the  conflict,  and  this 
might  well  have  been  the  end,  if  Mexico  had  been 
capable  of  rational  negotiation.  But  there  was  no 
government  long  enough  in  place  to  be  negotiated 
with.  The  special  envoy  sent  from  Washington, 
agreeably  to  an  intimation  on  the  part  of  one  Presi- 
dent, that  negotiations  would  be  cordially  entered 
upon,  was  refused  an  audience  by  the  new  President 
who  had  usurped  the  place  of  the  other  one.  Such 
weakness  in  Mexican  high  places  furnished  an  ex- 
cuse to  the  American  government  for  continuing  the 
war,  while  this  same  weakness  on  the  part  of  their 
antagonist  made  it  almost  discreditable  for  the 
United  States  to  continue  an  aggressive  warfare 
upon  forces  so  unequal. 

However,  the  war  was  begun.  Hostilities  had 
been  opened  by  Mexico,  and  the  American  people 
of  all  parties  were  aroused.  Bills  were  promptly 
passed  in  Washington  providing  men,  money,  and 
munitions  with  alacrity,  as  if  there  were  but  one 
opinion  of  the  justice  of  the  cause.  The  President 
was  authorized  to  call  for  volunteers,  in  any  number 
not  exceeding  fifty  thousand,  to  serve  for  the  period 
of  one  year,  or  during  the  war,  and  volunteers  read- 
ily answered  the  appeal  to  arms. 


WAR  BEGUN. 


313 


“ Indemnity  for  the  past  and  security  for  the 
future,”  is  the  watchword  of  the  United  States  in  its 
wars  with  foreign  nations.  As  indemnity  for  the 
wrongs  inflicted  by  Mexico,— that  is,  her  objection 
to  the  admission  of  Texas  to  the  Union,  it  was  de- 
termined to  cross  her  boundary  line  and  seize  upon 
her  territory. 

California,  then  sparsely  settled,  and  comparative- 
ly unknown,  at  a long  distance  from  the  central  and 
civilized  part  of  Mexico,  had  been  explored  already 
by  American  travellers,  who  brought  back  accounts 
of  its  climate,  fertile  soil,  and  mineral  resources  that 
showed  it  to  be  worth  having.  The  harbors  on  its 
coasts  were  known  to  be  the  only  good  ones  on  the 
shores  of  the  Northern  Pacific  Ocean.  California 
lay  immediately  south  of  the  United  States  terri- 
tory of  Oregon,  with  no  defined  natural  boundary 
between  them.  Many  Americans  were  already  set- 
tled there,  and  altogether  it  seemed  well  to  transfer 
this  goodly  region  to  the  keeping  of  the  United 
States.  New  Mexico,  another  department  of  the 
Mexican  Republic,  lying  upon  the  direct  route  to 
California,  and  in  great  part  included  in  the  boun- 
daries claimed  by  Texas  upon  her  admission  to  the 
Union,  was  also  another  territory  that  claimed  at- 
tention. 

It  would  be  too  much  to  say  that  the  United 
States  began  hostilities  with  a neighboring  republic, 
shaken  by  internal  discord,  its  government  little 
better  than  anarchy,  and  weak  from  continuous 
civil  war,  for  the  sake  of  snatching  from  that  country 
a large  part  of  its  territory  to  enlarge  its  own  already 


3H 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


wide  proportions.  But  since  the  Mexicans,  foolishly 
and  wickedly,  had  given  fair  pretext  for  quarrel,  and 
afterwards,  with  the  obstinacy  of  naughty  children, 
refused  to  recede,  and  persisted  in  resorting  to  arms, 
actually  making  the  first  attack,  it  seemed  well  to 
the  United  States  government  to  call  this  the  inev- 
itable, and  accept  it  with  all  the  benefits  arising  from 
such  a course. 

Their  general  plan  of  operations  was  to  seize  and 
occupy  the  coveted  territories  as  “ indemnity  for  the 
expenses  of  war,”  while  an  army  invading  the  heart 
of  Mexico  should  force  an  agreement  to  terms  of 
peace. 

In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  an  American  squadron 
appeared  before  the  fort  of  Monterey,  on  the  Pacific, 
in  Alta  California,  on  the  7th  of  July,  two  months 
after  the  first  shots  of  warfare  on  the  Rio  Grande. 
This  Monterey  must  not  be  confounded  with  the 
other  Mexican  town  of  the  same  name.  The  Mexi- 
cans evacuated  the  place  with  the  few  soldiers  who 
constituted  the  garrison.  On  the  same  day  two 
hundred  and  fifty  seamen  landed,  and  took  posses- 
sion, and  hoisted  the  American  flag.  This  course 
was  in  pursuance  of  instructions  from  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy  to  the  commander  of  the  Pacific 
squadron,  thus  expressed  in  a letter,  written  as  early 
as  June  24,  1845:  “It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  the 
President  to  pursue  the  policy  of  peace,  and  he  is 
anxious  that  you,  and  every  part  of  your  squadron, 
should  be  assiduously  careful  to  avoid  any  act  which 
could  be  construed  into  an  act  of  aggression.  Should 
Mexico,  however,  be  resolutely  bent  on  hostilities, 


MONTEREY,  MEXICO, 


3 1 6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


you  will  be  mindful  to  protect  the  persons  and  inter- 
ests  of  citizens  of  the  United  States,  and  should  you 
ascertain  beyond  a doubt  that  the  Mexican  govern- 
ment has  declared  war  against  us,  you  will  employ 
the  force  under  your  command  to  the  best  advan- 
tage. The  Mexican  ports  on  the  Pacific  are  said 
to  be  open  and  defenceless.  If  you  ascertain  with 
certainty  that  Mexico  has  declared  war  against  the 
United  States,  you  will  at  once  blockade  or  occupy 
such  ports  as  your  force  may  admit.” 

Other  ports  were  taken  with  equal  ease  ; and  the 
navy  having  joined  forces  with  the  army  of  Colonel 
Fremont,  the  Americans  entered  the  capital  of  Alta 
California,  on  the  13th  of  August,  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  government  house  without  a show  of  op- 
position, issuing  at  once  a proclamation  announcing 
the  conquest  of  the  department. 

Meanwhile  General  Taylor,  greatly  reinforced  by 
volunteer  troops  sent  from  the  United  States,  ad- 
vanced into  the  interior  of  the  country  though  the 
state  of  Nueva  Leon,  bordering  upon  the  Rio 
Grande  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  approached  its 
capital,  the  other  Monterey.  It  lies  at  the  eastern 
base  of  a range  of  hills,  in  a valley  of  great  fertility, 
which  is  capable  of  supporting  a large  population. 
The  main  road  from  the  Rio  Grande  to  the  city  of 
Mexico  leads  from  the  east  through  a cultivated 
country,  directly  through  the  city,  and  continues  by 
a pass  through  the  Sierra,  by  Saltillo,  and  on  to  a 
desert  region  between  Saltillo  and  San  Luis  de 
Potosi.  A rivulet,  the  San  Juan  de  Monterey,  rises 
in  this  pass  and  crosses  the  valley.  Monterey  stands 


GENERAL  TAYLOR, 


TIIE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


3>S 

on  the  northern  bank  of  this  rivulet,  and  extends 
along  the  stream.  At  the  time  of  the  battle  it  con- 
tained about  two  thousand  inhabitants.  A spur  of 
the  mountain  Sierra  juts  out  above  the  city  to  the 
west,  and  on  this  is  perched  the  picturesque  Obis- 
pado  Viejo,  or  Old  Palace,  built  by  a bishop  of  the 
last  century  for  his  pleasure-seat. 

General  Ampudia  had  the  charge  of  the  defence 
of  the  place,  with  over  ten  thousand  men.  The 
town  was  plentifully  supplied  with  ammunition,  and 
in  the  various  batteries  forty-two  guns  were  mounted. 
Subsistence  for  some  days,  beef,  cattle,  and  sheep, 
had  been  introduced  into  the  city.  The  attacking 
force  was  known  to  be  too  small  to  completely  invest 
the  town. 

The  American  army  made  a vigorous  onslaught 
which  was  bravely  resisted  by  the  Mexicans.  The 
siege  lasted  for  four  days,  during  which  the  position 
of  the  bishop’s  palace  was  keenly  contested  by  both 
parties.  This  was  stormed  on  the  morning  of  the 
22d,  and  carried  by  a brilliant  attack;  but  the  fate 
of  the  siege  was  not  decided  until  the  25th,  when 
the  Mexican  garrison  evacuated  the  citadel,  and 
retreated  to  Saltillo. 

The  force  with  which  General  Taylor  had  marched 
on  Monterey  was  about  six  thousand  five  hundred 
men.  The  loss  to  the  American  army  was  twelve 
officers  and  one  hundred  and  eight  men  killed,  and 
thirty-one  officers  and  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  men  wounded.  The  number  of  Mexicans  who 
fell  was  probably  over  one  thousand. 

Both  sides  fought  with  great  braver)-,  and  the 


War  begun. 


3 1 9 


Mexicans  contested  the  occupation  of  their  town 
with  determination,  during  the  long  and  unceasing 
conflict.  The  result  was  terribly  discouraging  to  the 
soldiers  of  the  Mexican  army,  who  were  discovering, 
with  every  new  essay,  that  the  United  States 
soldiers  could  fight. 

General  Ampudia,  after  the  defeat,  issued  a procla- 
mation announcing  it  frankly,  with  humble  apologies 
for  his  capacity.  He  gave  a short  account  of  the 
operations,  highly  extolling  the  valor  of  his  troops, 
and  attributing  the  defeat  to  a series  of  accidents, 
concluding  with  the  assurance  to  his  countrymen 
that  the  loss  of  Monterey  was  of  little  importance, 
and  would  soon  be  forgotten  in  fresh  triumphs  ot  the 
Mexican  arms. 

He  soon  received  orders  to  march  his  troops  to 
San  Luis  de  Potosi,  on  the  backward  way  towards 
the  capital. 

The  operations  at  Monterey,  in  spite  of  the  opin- 
ion of  the  Mexican  general,  had  nevertheless  a great 
effect  on  the  progress  of  the  war.  It  must  have  been 
discouraging  to  the  Mexican  people;  on  the  other 
hand,  it  made  the  war  more  popular  in  the  United 
States,  where  the  bravery  of  the  troops  was  a subject 
of  national  congratulation. 

The  officers  in  the  army  of  General  Taylor  became 
heroes,  and  their  military  glory  was  everywhere 
sounded. 

During  these  events  Don  Maria  Paredes  was 
President  of  Mexico.  His  “ Plan  ” for  his  country 
was  a monarchy,  and  apparently  heedless,  or  at  any 
rate  indifferent,  to  the  approach  of  hostile  troops 


320 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


toward  his  capital,  he  occupied  himself  with  forming 
a ministry  favorable  to  his  scheme,  with  the  intent 
of  making  sooner  or  later  a radical  change  in  the 
political  institutions  of  the  country. 

Such  intentions  had  aroused  a violent  opposition 
to  his  administration.  Santa  Anna,  apparently 
amusing  himself  at  Havana,  but  always  well  in- 
formed by  his  partisans  of  what  was  going  on  at 
home,  sent  home  letters  declaring  himself  in  favor  of 
the  Constitution  of  1824,  and  ready,  as  usual,  to  serve 
his  country.  The  American  government,  hearing  of 
this,  thought  it  well  to  encourage  Santa  Anna,  in 
opposition  to  Paredes,  for  they  looked  with  no  favor 
on  the  idea  of  a monarchy  in  Mexico,  and  moreover 
saw  that  all  negotiations  for  peace  were  futile  dur- 
ing the  stay  of  Paredes  in  power.  The  Gulf  of 
Mexico  was  already  blockaded  by  an  American 
squadron,  but  orders  were  issued  to  permit  Santa 
Anna  to  come  in,  if  he  wanted  to.  This  order  was 
given  before  the  battles  of  Palo  Alto  and  Rcsaca  de 
la  Palma,  and  must  be  taken  as  a sign  of  willingness 
on  the  part  of  the  United  States  for  a pacific  accom- 
modation. 

But  Santa  Anna’s  gifts  were  those  of  a military 
nature,  not  for  peaceful  solutions.  If  he  was  to 
serve  his  country,  it  must  be  by  waving  the  battle 
flag  and  not  the  olive  branch. 

The  defeats  of  the  army  reminded  Paredes  of  the 
need  of  regaining  his  prestige.  He  began  to  put 
forth  some  energy  in  raising  men  and  money,  and 
gave  out  that  he  should  repair  to  the  field  of  action 
himself  to  conduct  operations  against  the  invaders 


WAR  BEGUN. 


321 

in  person.  Raising  money  with  great  difficulty,  and 
assembling  a large  army,  he  made  ready  to  leave  the 
capital  on  the  31st  of  July.  On  that  day  the  garri- 
son of  Vera  Cruz  pronounced  in  favor  of  Santa 
Anna,  the  whole  garrison  of  the  city  of  Mexico 
joined  in  the  pronunciamento  and  seized  upon  the 
citadel.  Farias,  whom  we  have  known  as  a patriotic 
man,  lent  all  his  influence  to  support  this  rebellion. 
The  Vice-President,  Bravo,  and  the  old  ministry, 
made  some  opposition  on  paper,  but  it  was  fruitless, 
and  Paredes  was  made  prisoner.  He  was  soon  lib- 
erated and  left  the  country. 

Jack-in-the-box  Santa  Anna  was  still  at  Havana, 
whence  he  popped  up  at  once  and  sailed  for  Mexico 
with  his  suite.  He  landed  at  Vera  Cruz  on  the  16th 
of  August,  having  passed  the  blockading  squadron 
without  question  or  delay.  Of  course  he  issued  a 
manifesto  denouncing  the  monarchical  schemes  of 
Paredes  and  the  course  of  the  United  States,  and 
explaining  the  merit  of  his  own  conduct.  He  then 
retired  to  his  box  to  await  the  course  of  events, 
while  he  sent  interested  allies  to  the  capital  for  the 
purpose  of  controlling  them.  State  after  state  de- 
clared in  favor  of  Santa  Anna. 

Every  nerve  was  now  strained  to  raise  money  and 
troops  for  the  war.  Santa  Anna  approached  the 
capital,  and  was  met  by  offers  of  the  supreme  power 
from  the  provisional  government.  They  were  de- 
clined on  the  ground  that  Santa  Anna  willed  to 
serve  his  country  in  the  army.  He  declared  that 
he  would  not  abandon  the  post  of  danger  for  the 
post  of  power,  and  closed  his  answer  with  assurances 


322 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


of  his  disinterested  patriotism.  This  paved  the  way 
for  his  reception  at  the  capital.  He  was  received 
with  a show  of  enthusiasm  worthy  of  the  regenera- 
tion of  his  country. 

This  parade  of  military  ardor  took  place  on  the 
15th  of  September,  while  General  Ampudia  was 
strengthening  Monterey  for  the  attack.  A week 
later  it  had  come,  and  on  the  25th  the  city  had 
capitulated. 

On  the  8th  of  October  General  Santa  Anna  ar- 
rived at  San  Luis  de  Potosi  with  the  troops  which 
had  marched  from  Mexico.  He  at  once  set  about 
organizing  the  large  army  called  into  the  field, 
pledging  a part  of  his  private  property  as  one 
means  of  raising  money,  which  was  so^ly  needed 
and  hard  to  get. 


XXXIII. 

PUEBLA  LOST. 

On  the  1 8th  of  February,  1847,  General  Win- 
field Scott  presented  himself  before  Vera  Cruz 
with  a formidable  army  of  American  troops.  On 
the  22d  Santa  Anna  lost  the  battle  of  Angostura,  or 
Buena  Vista  as  it  is  better  known  by  Americans,  and 
was  forced  to  retire  with  his  troops  upon  San  Luis. 
On  the  28th  the  American  forces  in  the  north  met 
the  Mexicans  at  Sacramento  and  beat  them,  soon 
after  occupying  the  important  town  of  Chihuahua, 
These  events  following  close  upon  one  another 
filled  the  Mexicans  with  alarm,  but  their  determina- 
tion held  out,  and  all  the  opportunities  for  peace 
offered  them  by  the  American  government  were 
waived  as  an  indignity  to  their  national  honor. 

To  raise  money  was  the  great  difficulty.  Calls 
were  made  upon  the  separate  states  and  upon  indi- 
viduals. The  government  journals  adopted  the 
motto  Ser  0 no  ser  (“  to  be  or  not  to  be,”  literally 
rendered),  and  were  filled  with  articles  urging  the 
hearty  support  of  the  war.  One  plan  for  raising 
money  was  the  sequestration  of  Church  property. 

As  the  various  religious  orders  came  over  to  New 
Spain  from  the  old  country  they  built  churches,. 


323 


324 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


monasteries,  convents,  and  hospitals  ; in  the  early 
period  after  the  Conquest  their  work  and  influence, 
as  we  have  seen,  were  most  favorable  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  colony.  To  the  Franciscans,  in  great 
part,  belongs  the  honor  of  establishing  the  power  of 
Spain  on  a firm  basis  in  the  new  country.  Their 
wise  course  with  the  Indians,  establishing  a cordial 
and  even  affectionate  intercourse  with  them,  en- 
grafting gently  the  tenets  of  the  new  religion  upon 
whatever  was  good  and  healthy  of  the  old  stock, 
gave  them  a strong  hold  upon  their  converts,  and 
thus  confirmed  by  love  and  reason  the  position  won 
in  the  first  place  by  arms  and  superior  force.  The 
several  orders  of  Hospitallers  established  all  over  the 
country  houses  of  shelter  for  the  sick,  admirably  ap- 
pointed and  administered  conscientiously  with  the 
greatest  zeal. 

The  Jesuits  encouraged  learning  in  Mexico, 
founded  colleges  and  schools,  and  inspired  even 
the  lowest  class  with  the  possibility  of  raising  them- 
selves by  developing  their  mental  faculties.  The 
Dominicans,  by  their  furious  zeal  for  the  Inquisition, 
doubtless  hastened  the  end  of  the  Spanish  rule,  for 
the  soil  of  the  New  World  has  never  been  favorable 
for  the  taking  root  of  this  institution. 

“ Broadly  speaking,”  Mr.  Janvier  says,  in  his  ad- 
mirable “ Mexican  Guide,”  “ the  influence  of  the  re- 
ligious orders  upon  the  colony  was  beneficial  during 
its  first  century,  neutral  during  its  second,  harmful 
during  its  third.”  It  must  always  be  remembered 
that  Cortes,  with  all  his  personal  ambition  and  greed 
,of  gold,  was  deeply  religious,  and  that  he  never  lost 


326 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


sight  of  his  highest  aim  in  conquering  New  Spain, 
which  was  in  all  sincerity  to  plant  the  cross  upon  its 
soil.  The  impulse  given  by  his  determination  lasted 
a long  time,  but  in  another  century  this  had  lost  its 
force,  while  with  the  decline  of  the  power  of  the 
Church  at  home,  the  ambassadors  from  Spain  had 
less  religious  fervor.  In  the  last  century  all  institu- 
tions of  the  Church  had  deteriorated  to  a degree 
fatal  to  her  interests,  as  well  as  to  those  of  the 
country. 

By  this  time  so  much  of  the  wealth  of  Mexico  had 
come  into  the  possession  of  the  Church  that  this 
locking  up  of  capital  really  blocked  the  channels  of 
trade.  Money  accepted,  or  extorted,  by  the  priests 
stopped  circulating,  and  was  lost  in  the  coffers  of 
churches,  or  converted  into  superb  ornaments  for 
altars.  The  practical  thought  of  the  time,  in  the 
stress  for  money  required  to  pursue  the  war,  turned 
to  the  scheme  of  converting  all  this  splendor  into 
funds  for  the  equipment  of  armies. 

The  clergy  became  alarmed  at  the  first  sound  of 
such  proposals,  and  used  all  their  powerful  influence 
against  them.  For  this  course  they  were  accused  by 
the  government  journals  of  want  of  patriotism,  of 
aiding  and  abetting  the  monarchists,  and  fomenting 
the  discords  which  were  daily  becoming  more 
dangerous. 

This  was  not  without  reason,  for  although  the 
priests  feared  and  hated  the  “ Northern  heretics,” 
as  they  called  the  enemy,  they  feared  and  hated 
still  more  the  loss  of  their  property.  The  monarchi- 
cal preferences  of  the  great  dignitaries  of  the  Church 


PUEBLA  LOST. 


3 27 

are  well  known.  They  have  never  favored  the  inno- 
vation of  the  Republic  in  Mexico. 

In  spite  of  the  strong  opposition  of  the  priests,  an 
attempt  was  made  to  carry  fire  plan  into  effect. 
Government  required  a contribution  from  the  prop- 
erty of  the  clergy  to  the  amount  of  two  millions  of 
dollars,  and  issued  drafts  amounting  fo  that  sum  on 
the  different  bishops  of  the  country.  These  prel- 
ates really  were  not  able  to  pay  immediately  in 
ready  money,  even  if  they  had  inclination  ; they 
begged  for  delay,  and  meantime  incited  the  clergy 
to  defeat  further  measures  in  Congress.  Neverthe- 
less a bill  was  passed  in  January,  1847,  “ to  hypothe- 
cate or  sell  in  mortmain  Church  property  ” in 
amounts  necessary  to  obtain  fifteen  millions  for  the 
support  of  the  national  war  against  the  United 
States.  Government,  determined  to  carry  the  matter 
through,  took  the  first  step  by  seizing  a priest  who 
was  stirring  up  an  insurrection  in  the  capital,  and 
casting  him  into  prison.  Such  acts  stifled  the  gen- 
eral outcry,  and  the  clergy  were  compelled  to  work 
in  secret.  But  the  property  consisted  almost  en- 
tirely of  real  estate,  and,  even  when  seized  or  mort- 
gaged, it  was  difficult  to  raise  money  on  it,  for  the 
clergy  made  it  unsafe  for  individuals  to  encourage 
the  government  by  purchase.  No  great  quantity  of 
money  was  raised  at  that  time,  and  Congress  was 
induced  to  consider  ways  of  making  the  law  less  ob- 
noxious. In  the  middle  of  their  conference  they 
broke  up,  and  left  government  to  obtain  resources 
as  it  might. 

Thus  the  first  great  blow  was  struck  at  the  accu- 


3-8 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


mulation  of  Church  wealth;  the  wedge  admitted 
which  must  weaken  the  structure  in  time. 

On  the  22d  of  March  General  Scott,  having  landed 
his  troops,  began  to  bombard  the  city  of  Vera  Cruz. 
At  the  time  of  the  attack  the  city  was  but  scantily 
supplied  with  subsistence.  The  governor  of  the 
state  had  endeavored  to  provide  it  with  provisions, 
in  the  little  time  he  had  after  the  appearance  of 
American  vessels  in  the  harbor,  but  amid  the  clamor 
at  the  capital  his  small  voice  was  unheeded.  Gen- 
eral Morales,  the  Commandant,  with  good  courage 
resolved  to  keep  up  the  defence  as  long  as  possible, 
trusting  for  aid  to  the  coming  of  the  vomito,  which 
early  every  spring  makes  Vera  Cruz  unhealthy,  rather 
than  to  any  hope  of  a relieving  army. 

On  the  day  General  Scott  summoned  the  city  to 
surrender,  General  Morales  returned  a peremptory 
refusal,  saying  that  he  would  make  good  his  defence 
to  the  last,  informing  his  Excellency  that  he  could 
commence  operations  in  the  manner  which  he  might 
consider  most  advantageous.  Soon  after,  the  bom- 
bardment began.  For  four  days  a shower  of  shells 
poured  upon  the  city,  and  the  violence  instead  of 
diminishing  daily  increased.  The  inhabitants  for 
protection  crowded  upon  the  mole,  and  into  the 
northern  part  of  the  town.  For  twelve  days  the 
place  was  closely  invested.  Many  poor  people  who, 
without  the  necessaries  of  life,  were  prowling  about 
the  streets  in  search  of  food,  fell  before  the  American 
fire,  as  well  as  women  and  children,  who  were  not 
safe  even  in  their  houses.  On  the  28th  the  city  sur- 
rendered. The  Mexican  troops  were  permitted  to 


330 


THE  STORY  Of  MEXICO. 


march  out  of  the  city  with  the  honors  of  war,  to  the 
field  where  the  surrender  of  arms  was  to  take  place, 
and  to  salute  their  flag  when  it  was  struck.  The 
civil  and  religious  rights  of  Vera  Cruz  were  guaran- 
teed to  its  inhabitants.  The  troops  laid  down  their 
arms,  and  General  Worth’s  command  entered  and 
took  possession  of  the  city  and  the  neighboring 
Castle  of  San  Juan  d’  Uloa. 

By  this  capture,  General  Scott  obtained  a base  of 
operations  for  direct  advance  upon  the  city  of 
Mexico,  and,  moreover,  inflicted  another  blow  upon 
the  courage  of  the  Mexican  nation. 

Santa  Anna,  who,  by  the  way,  had  been  made 
President,  leaving  political  affairs  in  the  hands  of 
Governor  Farias,  Vice-President,  hastened  from  the 
defeat  at  Buena  Vista  to  the  encounter  of  another 
American  army,  met  General  Scott  between  Jalapa 
and  Vera  Cruz,  and  sustained  a new  defeat  at  Cerro 
Gordo.  He  himself  escaped  and  fled  to  Orizaba, 
where  he  made  strenuous  efforts  to  assemble  anew  an 
army,  for  his  troops  were  utterly  dispersed,  and  not 
a barrier  remained  between  the  enemy  and  the  capi- 
tal. The  Americans,  in  fact,  slowly  advanced,  occu- 
pying the  country  as  they  went  towards  the  capital. 
Santa  Anna  arrived  first  at  Puebla  with  all  the  force 
which  he  had  collected  at  Orizaba.  lie  found  the 
Poblanos  indifferent,  and  tried  to  rouse  their  patriot- 
ism, telling  them,  with  good  reason,  that  he  knew 
they  could  fight  if  they  chose,  for  not  three  years 
before  they  had  beaten  him,  Santa  Anna,  off  the  town 
although  he  was  backed  by  an  army  of  1 2,000  men. 
Notwithstanding  his  eloquence,  the  American  army 


PUEBLA  LOST. 


331 


marched  into  Puebla  without  any  fighting  at  all.  The 
Ayuntamiento  of  the  city  met  General  Worth  out- 
side the  city,  and  favorable  terms  were  agreed  upon. 

The  American  troops  arriving  in  Puebla  were 
quartered  at  first  in  the  Plaza  Mayor,  where  they 
stacked  their  arms,  and  laid  themselves  down  to 
rest.  They  had  passed  the  night  in  the  open  air  in  a 
pouring  rain,  and  were  tired  and  dirty  with  a long 
march  all  the  morning.  The  Poblanos  could  not 
understand  that  these  ill-conditioned  soldiers  were 
the  terrible  conquerors  who  were  invading  their 
homes.  Some  one  expressed  the  belief  that  five 
hundred  good  men  could  cut  them  down,  as  they 
lay  at  their  ease  in  the  Plaza,  but  the  attempt  was 
not  made. 

Puebla  was  thus  quietly  occupied,  but  the  inhabi- 
tants showed  no  good-will  to  the  invaders. 

Fort  Loreto,  on  the  hill  of  Guadalupe,  was  occu- 
pied by  a part  of  the  American  command.  This  hill 
is  famous  in  the  annals  of  Mexican  history.  In  the 
old  times  when  it  was  crowned  by  the  Church  of 
Guadalupe,  religious  processions  used  to  go  up  and 
down  on  the  days  of  sacred  ceremony.  The  fort  was 
destined  to  a glorious  triumph  later,  but  at  the  time 
of  the  American  investment  it  had  not  yet  won  its 
reputation.  Then,  as  now,  from  the  heights  was  to 
be  seen  one  of  the  great  views  of  the  world  : three 
snow-covered  volcanoes,  with  Malintzi  rising  13,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  the  lofty  crest 
of  Orizaba,  and  nearer  at  hand  the  pyramid  of 
Cholula.  The  city  of  Puebla  spreads  out  below 
like  a map.  It  is  very  pretty,  built  like  all  the 
Mexican  cities,  with  streets  running  at  accurate 


332 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


right  angles,  straight  and  regular.  Many  churches 
are  scattered  over  the  city ; the  frequent  use  of 
colored  tiles  in  building  furnishes  a great  many 
colors,  for  red,  yellow,  and  blue  are  employed  in 
the  domes,  which  glow  with  bright  tints  or  glitter 
in  the  reflection  of  the  sun. 

The  American  troops  had  full  opportunity  to  en- 
joy this  scene  while  they  occupied  Puebla,  awaiting 
at  first  the  arrival  of  General  Scott,  and  afterwards 
reinforcements  sufficient  to  warrant  an  advance. 
Santa  Anna  returned  to  Mexico,  where,  as  usual 
with  beaten  generals,  his  reception  was  the  reverse 
of  cordial.  He  took  what  measures  he  could  to  win 
back  popularity,  and  as  one  step  towards  this, 
resigned  the  presidency.  Pending  a new  election, 
Congress  created  him  Dictator  until  the  next  year, 
and  armed  with  this  authority  he  began  the  work  of 
fortifying  the  capital,  since  this  was  evidently  the 
next  and  last  point  of  attack  for  the  enemy,  Gen- 
eral Taylor’s  army  finding  no  hindrance  in  coming 
from  the  north,  and  General  Scott  close  at  hand  in 
the  City  of  the  Angels. 

Patriotism,  the  desire  to  defend  the  capital,  was 
fully  aroused,  and  battalions  poured  in  from  the  dif- 
ferent cities  and  states  of  the  Republic  ; each  sent 
its  guns  to  contribute  to  the  defence,  and  by  the  end 
of  June  the  Mexican  Dictator  had  at  his  disposal 
over  25,000  men  and  sixty  pieces  of  artillery.  Pro- 
nunciamentos  ceased  for  the  time,  and  the  spirits  of 
the  Mexicans  again  rose,  leading  them  to  hope  that 
the  final  struggle  would  be  successful,  and  that  the 
troops  of  the  United  States  would  meet  with  an 
overwhelming  defeat  at  the  gates  of  their  capital. 


XXXIV. 

CHAPULTEPEC  TAKEN. 

Early  in  August  the  American  army  left  Puebla 
and  took  up  its  quarters  outside  the  capital,  having 
approached  by  a route  south  of  Lake  Chaleo. 

Santa  Anna,  having  learned  these  movements, 
began  fortifications  at  the  Bridge  and  Church  of 
Churubusco,  four  miles  south  of  the  city.  There  is 
no  town  here,  only  a few  little  scattered  houses  ; in 
the  time  of  the  Aztecs,  however,  it  was  an  important 
place,  which  clustered  round  the  temple  of  their  old 
god  of  war,  Huitzilopochtli,  of  which  the  modern 
name  is  a derivation,  having  come  a long  way  from 
its  root.  “ The  place,”  says  an  old  chronicler,  “ was 
the  dwelling  and  diabolical  habitation  of  infernal 
spirits  ” until  the  priests  of  the  Church  cast  them 
out.  When  the  artillery  of  the  American  army 
rattled  about  their  ears,  the  poor  inhabitants  may 
have  fancied  there  had  entered  in  devils  worse  than 
the  first. 

The  Mexican  general  ordered  a barricade  to  be 
erected  in  the  road  over  which  the  American  army 
must  pass.  This  was  done,  but  when  Worth  arrived 
he  set  the  same  Indians  who  had  thrown  up  the 
barricade  to  level  it  again.  These  docile  natives  saw 


333 


334 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


but  little  difference  between  one  army  and  another, 
and  they  set  to  work  with  the  same  patient  alacrity 
they  had  used  to  build  the  barricade,  on  the  business 
of  tearing  it  down  again. 

On  the  1 8th  the  battle  of  Churubusco  was  fought, 
the  Mexicans  defending  with  great  bravery  a con- 
vent to  which  they  had  retreated.  In  this  battle, 
lost  by  the  Mexicans,  many  of  their  distinguished 
men  perished.  Gorostiza,  a poet  and  dramatist, 
some  of  whose  plays  still  hold  the  stage,  lost  his  life 
valiantly  commanding  his  battalion,  although  he 
was  old  and  infirm. 

It  was  all  in  vain.  The  Americans  gained  the 
convent  and  the  town,  in  spite  of  the  valor  of  the 
defenders  and  the  bravery  of  General  Anaya,  who 
was  in  command.  The  Mexicans  left  alive  were 
taken  prisoners,  and  the  Americans  triumphed.  The 
day  of  Churubusco  is  regarded  by  the  Mexicans  as  a 
glorious  one,  in  spite  of  their  defeat.  A monument 
stands  in  the  Plaza  in  memory  of  the  heroes  who 
died  there  defending  their  country. 

Closer  and  closer  drew  the  lines  of  the  hostile 
force.  There  was  an  armistice  after  the  battle  of 
Churubusco;  fighting  began  again  at  Molino  del 
Rey,  a range  of  stone  buildings  under  the  fire  of  the 
heavy  guns  of  the  Castle  of.  Chapultepec.  General 
Scott  was  informed  that  a foundry  was  in  operation 
at  that  place,  and  that  bells  from  the  steeples  of  the 
city  had  lately  been  dismounted,  probably  to  be  re- 
cast there  for  cannon.  This  turned  his  attention  to 
the  place.  It  was  attacked  on  the  night  of  Septem- 
ber 8th,  and  taken  the  next  day  after  furious  resist- 


335 


33^ 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ance.  Inside  the  Molino  were  some  few  old  cannon 
moulds,  but  no  evidence  of  recent  founding.  The 
Americans  were  now  close  under  the  fortifications 
of  Chapultepec,  whose  guns  had  played  incessantly 
upon  them  from  daylight  throughout  the  action. 

This  also  is  regarded  by  the  Mexicans  as  a brilliant 
action,  as  it  undoubtedly  was  on  their  part,  as  well 
as  that  of  the  daring  invaders.  During  the  battle, 
the  bells  of  the  city  were  ringing  a continuous  joyful 
peal,  as  if  to  assert  a victory  beforehand.  The  city 
was  wholly  confident  in  the  impregnability  of  its 
stronghold,  the  Castle  of  Chapultepec. 

Yet  on  the  13th  this  difficult  fortress  was  attacked 
by  General  Pillow,  scaled  and  taken  by  the  Ameri- 
can troops.  General  Bravo  was  in  command  of  the 
castle,  while  Santa  Anna  was  occupied  with  other 
exposed  places.  Under  him  were  eight  hundred 
men,  among  them  the  pupils  of  the  Military  College 
established  there.  The  General  was  taken  prisoner; 
many  of  the  brave  young  fellows,  before  they  had 
gone  beyond  the  first  lessons  of  military  science, 
were  taught  its  last  and  most  bitter  one, — death,  in 
the  defence  of  their  citadel.  The  American  soldiers 
rushed  in  at  the  many  different  doors  of  the  college ; 
it  is  said  that  they  showed  unusual  ferocity,  made 
savages  by  the  custom  of  slaughter  among  the  Mex- 
icans in  former  engagements.  Quarter  was  rarely 
given,  a practice  learned  of  the  Spaniards  themselves  ; 
for  a few  moments  the  struggle  was  fearful,  and  the 
bloodshed  unrestrained.  Parties  of  American  offi- 
cers found  their  way  to  the  Azotea,  and  tore  down 
the  Mexican  colors,  while  the  standards  of  two 


SEPT.  / 3^/847 


333 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


United  States  regiments  were  displayed.  The 
shouts  of  the  victors  announced  to  the  city  that  her 
stronghold  had  fallen. 

The  taking  of  Chapultepec  was  practically  the  end 
of  the  war.  The  city  of  Mexico  was  shortly  after 
occupied,  and  although  the  negotiations  for  peace 
were  long  and  tiresome,  the  end  was  obvious. 

On  the  2d  of  February,  1848,  a treaty  was 
confirmed,  called  that  of  Guadalupe-Hidalgo,  from 
the  name  of  the  little  suburb  city  where  it  was 
signed.  Mexico  received  fifteen  millions  of  dollars, 
by  way  of  indemnity;  but  lost  the  territory  of  Alta 
California,  New  Mexico,  Texas,  and  a part  of  her 
state  of  Coahuila,  by  the  agreement  to  consider  the 
windings  of  the  Rio  Bravo  del  Norte,  or  Rio  Grande, 
as  the  boundary  between  the  two  nations,  as  far  as  it 
goes;  that  is,  to  a direct  line  parallel  with  San  Diego 
on  the  coast  of  California. 

No  sooner  had  California  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  Americans,  than  it  turned  out  to  be  full  of  gold. 
In  that  very  year,  184S,  began  the  gold  fever  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  emigration  poured  in  from  all  parts  of  the 
States,  so  that  rapidly  the  territory,  unknown  and 
neglected  by  the  Mexicans,  grew  to  be  a most  im- 
portant State.  San  Francisco,  then  a little  straggling 
Mexican  port,  is  now  a large  and  flourishing  city. 

This  is  a result  of  the  war  which  must  be  viewed 
with  impatience,  to  say  the  least,  by  the  Mexicans, 
who  saw  themselves,  at  the  time,  forced  to  relinquish 
this  large  amount  of  territory  without  the  power  of 
refusal.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  room  for  think- 
ing that  California,  left  in  the  hands  of  that  people, 


CHAPULTEPEC  TAKEN. 


339 


might  have  remained  to  this  day  undiscovered,  with 
its  wealth  still  hidden  in  the  earth.  Whatever  com- 
fort  this  may  be,  is  open  to  the  losing  side. 

The  war  left  them  disgraced  and  humiliated,  with 
ruined  cities  and  desolated  homes  scattered  over 
the  land.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  perma- 
nent effect  of  the  war  was  beneficial.  It  taught  the 
Mexicans,  for  one  thing,  to  distrust  the  prestige  of 
their  army,  and  humbled  the  pretensions  of  a crowd 
of  military  men,  who,  while  they  aspired  to  the 
highest  offices  of  government,  proved  themselves  not 
only  incapable  of  serving  their  country  thus,  but  in- 
competent in  the  field.  High  praise,  however,  is 
always  to  be  assigned  to  the  courage  and  bravery  of 
the  army,  its  commanders,  and  private  soldiers,  es- 
pecially in  the  defence  of  their  capital  when  the 
struggle  reached  its  last  agony. 

The  United  States  by  the  war  acquired  an  im- 
mense extent  of  territory,  by  many  of  its  citizens, 
however,  even  at  the  time,  regarded  as  a questionable 
good.  The  acquisition  of  so  much  slave  territory 
without  doubt  hastened  the  crisis  which  called  for 
the  civil  war  of  1 86 1 . The  experiences  of  the  Amer- 
ican army  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  the  glory,  exag- 
gerated perhaps,  which  attached  to  their  feats  of 
arms,  stimulated  the  taste  for  military  pursuits,  be- 
fore very  moderate  in  a peaceful  and  industrious 
land.  The  heroes  of  the  campaign  of  Anahuac  were 
transferred  to  the  field  of  politics.  General  Taylor 
became  President  of  the  United  States,  and  General 
Scott  narrowly  escaped  it.  The  defects  of  the  army 
were  recognized  and  in  great  measure  remedied,  so 


340 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


that  when  the  civil  war  did  come,  both  armies,  on 
the  two  contending  sides  of  that  unfortunate  con- 
flict, were  in  a state  of  readiness  much  in  advance  of 
the  condition  of  the  national  troops  before  the  cam- 
paign in  Mexico,  while  a crop  of  officers,  heroes  of 
the  so-called  glorious  victories  of  Palo  Alto,  Buena 
Vista,  and  the  rest,  responded  to  the  call  of  loyalty, 
or  rebellion,  with  the  alacrity  of  experience. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Mexico  an  attempt  was 
made  by  the  Americans  to  capture  Santa  Anna. 
General  Lane,  who  with  a small  force  was  engaged 
in  driving  guerrillas  from  the  roads,  received  infor- 
mation that  this  general  was  at  Tehuacan,  not  very 
far  from  Puebla.  After  marching  all  night  in  that 
direction,  he  occupied  two  large  haciendas  in  that 
neighborhood,  where  his  men  and  horses  were  con- 
cealed during  daylight,  and  the  Mexican  residents 
held  close  prisoners.  When  evening  arrived  the 
command  marched  on  towards  Tehuacan.  About 
five  miles  out  they  met  a carriage  with  an  escort  of 
ten  or  twelve  armed  men.  They  were  stopped,  but 
the  occupant  of  the  carriage  produced  a written  safe- 
guard over  the  signature  of  an  American  general,  and 
upon  this  the  whole  party  was  allowed  to  proceed. 
General  Lane  arrived  at  Tehuacan  just  at  daylight, 
and  entered  it  at  once.  But  the  bird  had  flown. 
Santa  Anna  had  been  there ; but,  warned  by  a 
breathless  messenger  on  horseback,  who  rode  back 
from  the  carriage  the  soldiers  had  met,  to  give  him 
news  of  the  approach  of  the  soldiers,  had  just  time 
enough  to  make  his  escape,  with  his  family,  leaving 
all  his  effects,  which  were  quickly  plundered  by  the 
troops  of  Lane’s  command. 


CHAPULTEPEC  TAKEN. 


341 


On  Friday  1st,  before  the  treaty  of  Guadalupe- 
Hidalgo,  Santa  Anna  informed  the  Minister  of 
War  and  the  American  Commander-in-Chief  that  he 
desired  to  leave  Mexico  and  seek  an  asylum  on  a 
foreign  soil,  where  he  “might  pass  his  last  days  in 
that  tranquillity  which  he  could  never  find  in  the  land 
of  his  birth."  This  permission  was  granted,  and  he 
went  to  Jamaica,  leaving  his  country  at  peace,  but 
not  forever. 

Ulysses  S.  Grant,  then  a young  soldier  in  the 
army  of  the  United  States,  took  part  in  the  Mexican 
war.  He  went  into  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto  as 
second  lieutenant,  at  the  age  of  twenty-six,  and 
entered  the  city  of  Mexico  sixteen  months  later 
with  the  conquering  army. 

In  his  personal  memoirs  General  Grant  expresses 
his  opinion  that  the  Mexican  war  was  one  of  the 
most  unjust  ever  waged  by  a stronger  against  a 
weaker  nation.  “ It  was  an  instance,”  he  says,  “of 
a republic  following  the  bad  example  of  European 
monarchies,  in  not  considering  justice  in  their  desire 
to  acquire  additional  territory.” 


XXXV. 


BENITO  JUAREZ. 

PEACE  was  restored,  and  with  it  revived  commerce 
and  industry  ; the  coffers  of  government  were  full, 
thanks  to  the  fifteen  millions  of  pesos  received  from 
the  United  States  to  heal  the  wounds  of  war. 

General  Herrera  took  possession  of  the  presiden- 
tial chair,  and  Mexico,  after  twenty  years  of  warfare, 
civil  and  foreign,  took  a respite  of  as  many  months. 

Herrera  became  President  on  the  3d  of  June,  1848, 
and  fulfilled  the  appointed  time  of  office  until  Jan- 
uary, 1851,  when  he  handed  over  the  control  to  his 
successor,  when  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of 
the  Republic  this  change  was  effected  without 
violence. 

His  administration  was  economical  and  moral,  and 
so  was  that  of  his  successor,  General  Arista,  who 
continued  the  reform  of  the  army,  bringing  order 
into  the  financial  condition  of  the  country.  These 
two  terms  may  be  regarded  as  models  of  good  gov- 
ernment. 

Before  the  close  of  Arista’s  term  the  Mexicans 
took  up  their  old  practice  of  pronouncing , and  rather 
than  create  a disturbance,  the  President,  finding 
himself  unpopular,  secretly  retired  from  the  capital. 


342 


liENITO  JUAREZ, 


344 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Resolutions  began,  and  Santa  Anna,  hearing  their 
echo  afar,  returned  to  the  country  once  more,  to  be. 
made  Dictator. 

But  Mexico  was  not  to  fall  back  into  the  hopeless 
anarchy  of  the  period  before  the  American  war.  The 
better  class  had  learned  to  desire  peace,  and  there 
were  leaders  among  them  strong  enough  to  restrain 
the  mobile  desires  of  the  multitude,  and  lead  them 
to  better  things.  The  epoch  of  the  reform  began  ; 
and  although  this  reform  was  signalized  by  blood- 
shed, it  was  a war  for  definite  objects  and  princi- 
ples, and  not  a squabble,  setting  up  and  putting 
down  incompetent  presidents,  which  used  to  prevail. 

The  great  struggle  arose  over  the  question  of  the 
sequestration  of  Church  property,  begun  during  the 
United  States  war,  but  then,  as  we  have  seen, 
treated  injudiciously,  hastily  dealt  with,  with  but 
temporary  and  inefficient  results.  Later  the  dis- 
agreement between  the  clerigos,  or  Church  party, 
and  the  libera/es,  or  those  demanding  the  surrender 
of  the  property  of  the  Church,  became  wider  and 
wider,  until  two  great  parties  divided  the  country. 
For  half  a century  these  parties  have  disputed  the 
power  under  their  two  political  standards.  It  must 
not  be  inferred  that  the  party  opposed  to  the 
clerigos  has  been  opposed  to  religion.  The  liberals 
have  been  as  good  Christians,  and  not  only  this,  as 
devout  Catholics,  as  the  so-called  Church  party.  The 
question  has  not  turned  upon  matters  of  doctrine, 
but  upon  those  pertaining  to  the  goods  of  the  Church. 

Benito  Juarez  was  of  pure  Aztec  birth.  It  has 
even  been  said  that  the  blood  of  the  Montezumas 


BE XI TO  JUAREZ. 


345 


was  in  his  veins.  Be  that  as  it  may,  his  family  was 
of  the  lowest  order  of  the  Indians,  living  in  a vil- 
lage of  the  state  of  Oaxaca.  They  were  poor,  and 
it  is  said  that  at  twelve  Benito  knew  neither  how  to 
read  nor  write. 

He  found  a protector  in  Don  Antonio  Salanueva, 
head  of  a rich  family  of  Oaxaca,  who  became  inter- 
ested in  him,  and  kindly  helped  him  to  an  education. 
In  him,  as  in  many  other  cases  less  known,  the  fa- 
cility of  the  Indian  intelligence  to  acquire  knowledge 
was  shown.  He  learned  rapidly  to  read  and  write, 
and  advanced  so  far  as  to  study  law,  in  which  he 
afterwards  distinguished  himself,  elected  first  a mem- 
ber of  the  legislature  of  Oaxaca,  and  afterwards 
climbing  all  the  steps  to  legal  fame  until  he  became 
the  presiding  judge  of  the  courts  there. 

During  the  war  with  the  U nited  States,  J uarez  was 
at  the  capital,  as  deputy  to  Congress.  He  took  a 
vigorous  part  in  the  demand  for  the  loan  upon 
Church  property  to  supply  money  for  the  war,  and 
thus  ranged  himself  with  the  opponents  to  the 
Church  party,  although  himself  preserving  the  de- 
vout faith  of  the  Catholic  religion,  which  the  In- 
dians almost  invariably  cling  to. 

He  was  made  Governor  of  Oaxaca,  and  devoted 
himself  to  establishing  schools  for  the  Indians,  to 
benefit  his  race,  while  he  managed  affairs  wisely  and 
economically  for  all. 

During  Santa  Anna’s  dictatorship,  he  was  banished 
from  the  country,  and  stayed  in  New  Orleans  until 
the  turn  of  the  wheel  brought  his  w'ay  of  thinking 
to  the  top,  when  among  other  offices  he  resumed 


346 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


that  of  Governor  of  Oaxaca.  He  became  afterwards 
Secretary  of  State,  and  President  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Justice. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  1857,  a new  Constitution 
was  promulgated  by  the  enlightened  Congress.  It 
declared  that  national  sovereignty  resides  essentially 
in  the  people,  and  adopted  the  republican  form  of 
government,  representative,  democratic,  and  federal. 
It  proclaimed  each  state  free  and  sovereign  within 
its  limits,  and  introduced  many  reforms  and  im 
provements  in  the  old  code.  It  was  received  with 
great  applause  by  the  liberal  party,  but  with  little 
disguised  disapproval  by  the  army  and  clergy,  who 
set  themselves  from  its  birth  to  combating  its  suc- 
cess. Great  disturbance  arose,  excommunication  of 
the  liberals,  promulgations,  pronunciamentos,  arrests, 
uprisings.  From  the  midst  of  all  the  confusion 
Juarez  took  possession  of  the  presidency  by  right  of 
his  position  as  head  of  the  Supreme  Court,  since 
Comonfort,  the  legitimate  President,  had  pronounced , 
been  condemned,  and  forced  to  leave  the  country. 
Juarez  and  his  party  held  their  own  through  much 
adverse  circumstance.  On  his  side  were  ranged,  in 
the  defence  of  the  Constitution  of  1857,  Doblado, 
Ortega,  Zaragoza,  Guillermo,  Prieto,  and  other  im- 
portant men  ; on  the  side  of  the  clerigos  were  the 
Generals  Miratnon  and  Marquez,  and  the  greater 
part  of  the  chiefs  of  the  regular  army.  Civdl  war 
waged  over  the  land  ; there  is  reason  to  believe  that 
moderate  principles  and  the  Constitution  of  1857 
would  have  triumphed,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
strange  and  certainly  unexpected  events  of  the  for- 


BENITO  JUAREZ. 


347 


eign  intervention,  which  occasioned  an  episode  in 
Mexican  affairs  as  cruel  and  unnecessary  as  it  was 
dramatic.  So  foreign  indeed  was  it  to  the  national 
life  of  the  Mexican  people,  that  it  in  reality  scarcely 
formed  a part  of  their  history.  The  Indian  in  his 
hut  of  adobe  saw  the  princely  pageant  pass,  he 
scarce  knew  why. 


XXXVI. 

FRENCH  INTERVENTION. 

In  1 86 1 , four  years  after  the  declaration  of  the 
Constitution  of  1857,  011  the  8th  °f  December, 
there  appeared  in  the  waters  of  Vera  Cruz  a for- 
eign squadron,  over  which  floated  the  colors  of  three 
European  powers.  It  was  a combined  expedition 
from  the  governments  of  Spain,  England,  and 
France.  The  commissioners  from  these  three  pow- 
ers were  accompanied  by  a body  of  Spanish  troops, 
a smaller  force  of  French  ones,  and  some  English 
sailors.  Why  were  they  there  ? Did  they  come  to 
demand  something?  Had  they  an  ultimatum  to 
present  ? 

The  three  powers  had  signed  a treaty  in  London 
by  which  they  agreed  to  send  this  threefold  expedi- 
tion to  Mexico  to  demand  guaranties  for  the  safety 
of  their  subjects  living  there,  and  further  to  urge 
their  claim  to  sums  borrowed  by  the  Mexicans 
during  their  difficulties,  on  which  a law  had  been 
lately  passed  suspending  payment.  This  was  the 
pretext  for  the  expedition  ; its  real  cause  was  below 
the  surface. 

The  commissioners  took  possession  easily  of  Vera 
Cruz,  and  then  proceeded  to  Orizaba,  where  a confer- 

343 


FRENCH  INTER  VEN  TION. 


349 


ence  was  opened  with  Juarez.  The  demand  for  pay- 
ment was  readily  acknowledged,  and  the  commis- 
sioners for  Spain  and  England  at  once  withdrew 
their  troops.  But  the  French  remained.  The  proc- 
lamation issued  by  the  commissioners,  declaring 
their  presence  in  Mexico  was  for  no  other  purpose 
than  that  of  settling  vexed  questions,  had  served  as 
a reason  for  introducing  their  troops.  The  expe- 
dition was  undertaken  in  good  faith  by  the  English 
and  Spanish  governments,  but  when  their  commis- 
sioners found  that  a deeper  question  was  involved, 
they  extricated  themselves  and  their  governments 
from  the  affair  and  went  away. 

A plan  had  been  formed  in  the  court  of  the  Tuil- 
eries,  by  Napoleon  III.,  encouraged  and  even  insti- 
gated by  Mexican  refugees  who  had  sought  the 
court  of  France,  disgusted  with  the  liberal  turn  of 
affairs  in  their  own  country.  Among  these  were 
Gutierrez  de  Estrada,  the  ex-President  Miramon,  and 
others  of  the  clergy  party,  who  were  opposed  entirely 
to  the  supremacy  of  Juarez,  and  wanted  above  all 
things  to  bring  back  a monarchy  to  Mexico.  At  the 
same  time  the  Archbishop  of  Mexico,  robbed  as  he 
said  of  the  property  of  his  Church,  warmly  advocated 
the  same  cause  at  Rome. 

The  plan  was  to  select  a prince  of  some  European 
house,  and  place  him  upon  the  throne  left  vacant 
since  the  abdication  of  Agustin  I.  in  the  capital  of 
the  Aztec  Emperors.  Estrada,  indeed,  was  living  in 
exile,  on  account  of  his  pamphlet  proposing  this 
scheme.  Napoleon  III.  accepted  these  overtures  with 
alacrity,  and  at  once  furnished  troops,  money,  and 


35o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


influence  to  the  alluring  idea  of  “ opposing  the  Latin 
race  to  the  invasion  of  Anglo-Saxons  ” in  the  New 
World — that  is,  to  check  the  supremacy  of  the  U nited 
States  upon  the  western  continent,  and  establish  an 
Empire  in  Mexico,  which,  nominally  independent, 
would  be  under  his  own  control,  and  thus  add  to 
the  glory  of  the  French  nation. 

The  time  was  opportune,  for  the  United  States 
were  then  engrossed  in  a civil  war,  which  absorbed 
all  their  resources.  The  government  at  Washington 
could  not  give  its  attention  to  affairs  in  Mexico, 
and  Napoleon  hoped,  in  the  not  improbable  event  of 
the  success  of  the  Southern  States,  that  there  would 
be  no  danger  of  interference  from  that  quarter. 

The  demands  of  the  commissioners,  therefore, 
were  but  an  excuse  for  entering  the  country.  Rely- 
ing on  the  representatives  of  the  Mexican  emigre's , 
which  promised  cordial  support  from  the  clerical 
party  at  home,  the  French  advanced  towards  the 
capital  of  Mexico. 

Meanwhile,  the  future  Emperor  had  been  found. 
Ferdinand  Maximilian  Joseph,  Archduke  of  Austria, 
of  the  house  of  Hapsburg  Lorraine,  accepted  the 
proposition  secretly  made  him  by  Napoleon,  to  be- 
come Emperor  of  Mexico. 

He  was  brother  of  the  reigning  Emperor  of  Aus- 
tria, and  they  were  descended  from  the  royal  house 
of  Charles  V.  of  Germany  and  I.  of  Spain.  Maxi- 
milian was  born  in  1832  ; in  1857  he  had  married  the 
daughter  of  the  King  of  Belgium,  Carlotta  Maria 
Amalia.  These  two  young  persons,  for  the  prince 
was  but  little  over  thirty,  were  at  Miramar,  their 


_dL£ 


352 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


palace  near  Trieste,  where  they  received  the  over- 
tures of  the  Mexican  conspirators.  For  many  months 
the  Archduke  hesitated  over  so  startling  a proposal  ; 
finally  he  decided  to  accept  the  crown  which  was  of- 
fered him,  but  “ on  the  condition  that  France  and 
England  should  sustain  him  with  their  guaranty, 
moral  and  material,  both  on  land  and  sea.”  England, 
as  we  have  seen,  early  withdrew  from  the  alliance, 
with  a loyalty  to  honorable  principles  greatly  to  its 
credit,  well  aware  that  the  United  States  would  look 
upon  the  scheme  with  no  favor,  and  less  confident 
than  the  French  Emperor  in  the  success  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy. 

Maximilian  was  a dreamer.  The  scion  of  the 
stock  of  kings,  he  believed  firmly  in  the  “right 
divine,”  which  he  persuaded  himself  to  fancy,  by 
tortuous  ways  might  now  be  hovering  over  him. 
Ardently  religious,  he  attached  the  highest  import- 
ance to  the  preservation  of  the  Church,  and  believed 
that  he  was  an  instrument  to  this  end.  The  vision 
of  Mexico  snatched  from  the  hands  of  impious  rebels 
and  restored  to  the  prestige  of  an  ancient  Empire, 
fascinated  him,  and  with  a vivid  imagination,  he 
pictured  himself,  and  his  Carlotta,  whom  he  dearly 
loved,  as  the  central  figures  of  the  great  restoration. 
His  expression  of  this  thought  at  Naples,  in  1857,  so 
often  quoted,  proves  how  far  he  was  carried  by  the 
vividness  of  his  dreams. 

“The  monumental  stairway  of  the  palace  of  Ca- 
serta  is  worthy  of  majesty.  What  can  be  finer  than 
to  imagine  the  sovereign  placed  at  its  head,  resplen- 
dent in  the  midst  of  those  marble  pillars, — to  fancy 


FRENCH  IN  TER  l ' EN  TION. 


353 


this  monarch  like  a god  graciously  permitting  the 
approach  of  human  beings.  The  crowd  surges  up- 
ward. The  king  vouchsafes  a gracious  glance,  but 
from  a lofty  elevation.  All  powerful,  imperial,  he 
makes  one  step  towards  them  with  a smile  of  infinite 
condescension. 

“ Could  Charles  V.,  could  Maria  Theresa  appeal' 
thus  at  the  head  of  this  ascending  stair,  who 
would  not  bow  the  head  before  that  majestic  power 
God-given  ! I too,  poor  fluttering  insect  of  a day, 
have  felt  such  pride  throb  in  my  veins,  when  I have 
been  standing  in  the  palace  of  the  Doges  of  Venice, 
as  to  think  how  agreeable  it  would  be,  not  too  often, 
but  in  rare  solemn  moments,  to  stand  thus  at  the 
height  of  such  an  ascent,  and  glancing  downward 
over  all  the  world,  to  feel  myself  the  First,  like  the 
sun  in  the  firmament.” 

All  this  had  been  arranged,  as  is  now  known  by 
the  dates  of  the  preliminary  correspondence,  before 
the  French  commissioners  were  sent  to  Vera  Cruz. 
The  conciliating  attitude  of  Juarez  towards  them 
took  away  the  pretext  under  which  they  had  entered 
the  country,  but  they  had  no  orders  to  retire.  On 
the  contrary,  reinforcements  soon  arrived,  and  the 
Mexican  President  found  himself  obliged  to  put  an 
army  in  their  way. 

The  expedition,  whose  object,  no  longer  concealed, 
was  “the  triumph  of  the  Latin  race  on  American 
soil,”  advanced  towards  the  capital.  Mexico  was 
divided  by  its  two  great  parties  for  and  against  the 
invasion.  The  ultra-clerigos,  secretly  aware  of  the 
action  of  their  party  abroad,  encouraged  it  ; but 


354 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


there  were  many  amongst  them  who  paused  before 
the  innovation  of  a foreign  ruler  on  Mexican  soil. 

French  troops  under  the  command  of  General  Lo- 
rencez  advanced  upon  Puebla,  joined  before  they 
arrived  there  by  a strong  Mexican  force  of  the  cleri- 
cal party  under  Marques,  so  that  they  had  a large 
and  effective  army.  The  resisting  force  in  Puebla 
was  much  smaller,  not  more  than  two  thousand 
strong,  but  the  defence  under  General  Zaragoza  was 
brilliant  against  a vigorous  attack.  The  French  were 
driven  off  and  had  to  retire  to  Orizaba. 

This  is  the  victory  of  the  Cinco  de  Mayo , or  5th  of 
May,  which  the  Mexicans  celebrate  as  one  of  their 
best  holidays.  The  battle  was  not  in  itself  very  im- 
portant, but  its  moral  effect  upon  the  Mexicans  was 
great,  encouraging  them  to  continue  their  gallant 
defence  of  their  country.  They  fought  to  resist 
foreign  intrusion.  At  that  time  they  scarcely  knew 
why  it  was  thrust  upon  them,  and  could  not  have 
dreamed  of  the  extent  to  which  imperial  audacity 
on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean  had  dared  to  go.  To 
impose  upon  a free  and  able-bodied  people  a sov- 
ereign of  foreign  birth,  without  the  slightest  sign  of 
inclination  on  their  part,  was  hardly  justified  by  the 
argument  that  this  party  constituted  an  important 
minority.  The  extent  of  the  enterprise  dawned 
upon  the  people  gradually,  as  the  scheme  of  the 
French  Emperor  unfolded  itself.  Meanwhile,  there 
was  fighting  in  Puebla,  and  the  long-suffering  Mexi- 
cans again  took  up  arms. 

The  Indians,  over  whose  villages  peace  for  a few 
years  had  stretched  her  fostering  wing,  once  more 


French  in  TER  i Hn  TioN. 


3$$ 


heard  the  noise  of  cannon  and  the  call  to  arms. 
The  old  troubled  life  had  come  back  again.  Repose 
was  only  a dream. 

On  the  5th  of  May,  every  year,  there  are  great  re- 
joicings all  over  Mexico,  but  especially  in  the  capi- 
tal, where  a broad  handsome  street,  well  paved  and 
lighted,  is  called  the  Cinco  de  Mayo.  All  the 
troops  are  reviewed  on  that  day  by  the  President. 
The  buildings  are  hung  deep  with  flags  and  decora- 
tions, and  the  streets  crowded  with  a joyous  popula- 
tion swarming  to  and  fro,  crying  Vivas  ! over  the  long 
procession  of  regiments  marching  through  the  city 
to  the  stirring  sound  of  the  Mexican  national  march. 

An  adventure  of  which  the  French  are  very  proud 
occurred  in  the  following  month.  After  retreating 
from  Puebla,  the  army  of  Lorencez  was  quartered  in 
Orizaba  where  they  were  closely  watched  by  Zarago- 
za’s men.  A body  of  four  or  five  thousand  Mexican 
troops  placed  themselves  upon  the  Cerro  de  Borrego, 
high  above  the  town,  whence  they  threatened  to  bom- 
bard it.  The  condition  of  the  French  within  the 
town  grew  more  and  more  uncomfortable,  food  was 
giving  out,  and  the  presence  of  the  overlooking 
enemy  was,  to  say  the  least,  annoying. 

A young  captain,  lately  promoted,  watched  and 
followed  a Mexican  woman  whom  he  saw  day  by  day, 
as  she  climbed  a steep  path  to  the  height,  carrying  a 
water  jar  upon  her  head  to  supply  the  Mexican  army. 
The  F rench  officer  entreated  permission  of  his  gen- 
eral to  attempt  the  dislodgement  of  the  enemy.  This 
granted,  in  the  deep  darkness  of  night  one  hundred 
and  fifty  soldiers  crept  cautiously  up  the  narrow  path, 
unconsciously  betrayed  by  the  Indian  woman,  close 


356 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


to  the  edge  of  the  cliff.  Suddenly,  as  they  arrived 
at  the  top,  the  officer  called  out  “A  vioi  les  Zouaves  ! " 
“ A inoi  la  Legion  ! ” giving  such  a volley  of  directions 
that  the  Mexicans  imagined  the  whole  French  army 
was  upon  their  traces.  Startled  from  secure  slumber, 
they  were  easily  overcome.  The  French  claim  the 
destruction  of  three  hundred  men,  a general,  three 
colonels,  and  two  lieutenant-colonels,  with  all  the 
arms  and  the  colors  of  the  Mexicans,  who,  if  they 
survived  the  weapons  of  the  small  attacking  party, 
fled  and  were  lost  in  the  steep  slopes  of  the  precipice. 

Fresh  troops  came  from  France,  and  by  the 
beginning  of  another  year  the  army  of  invasion, 
commanded  by  Marshal  Forey,  numbered  forty 
thousand  men,  not  counting  the  Mexicans  on  that 
side,  whose  numbers  increased  as  the  magnitude  of 
the  enterprise  became  known. 

Puebla  again  was  the  scene  of  the  struggle.  For 
two  months  General  Ortega  defended  it  obstinately, 
but  food  became  scarce.  A convoy  bringing  pro- 
visions, under  charge  of  General  Comoniort,  was 
seized  by  the  French  under  Marshal  Bazaine,  and 
on  the  17th  of  May  the  besieged  army  was  obliged 
to  succumb,  without  capitulating.  The  French  ad- 
vanced towards  the  capital,  and  the  Mexicans  aban- 
doned it,  Juarez  withdrawing  towards  the  north, 
where  he  re-organized  his  government  at  San  Luis 
de  Potosi.  Fie  never  relinquished  his  office  during 
the  whole  of  the  French  intervention,  and  remained 
all  the  time,  in  the  minds  of  loyal  Mexicans,  and 
also  in  the  language  and  opinion  of  the  government 
of  the  United  States,  President  of  the  still  existing 
Mexican  Republic. 


XXXVII. 

THE  EMTIRE  UNDER  PROTECTION. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  1864,  to  the  great  joy  of  the 
Cabinet  of  the  Tuileries,  who  had  been  much  in  fear 
that  their  scheme  might  fall  through,  the  new  sover- 
eigns arrived  at  Vera  Cruz.  They  were  but  coolly 
received  by  the  merchants  of  that  port,  and  passed 
through  it  without  ceremony,  followed  by  the  large 
suite  they  brought  with  them.  But  the  priests  had 
aroused  the  Indians  en  masse  to  welcome  new  rulers, 
who  would,  they  were  promised,  restore  their  liber- 
ties and  raise  their  condition.  Crowds  of  these 
people  in  serapes  and  rebozos,  with  dark  eyes  full  of 
questions,  stood  along  the  route  of  the  imperial 
cortege  as  it  left  Vera  Cruz. 

Nor  was  enthusiasm  elsewhere  wanting ; a real 
imperialist  party  sprang  up  from  the  soil,  spon- 
taneously, on  the  appearance  of  the  young  prince 
and  his  consort.  Had  they  known  how  to  secure 
this  popularity  and  make  it  permanent,  these  im- 
ported sovereigns  might  have  reared  for  themselves 
a realm  in  the  hearts  of  the  impressionable  people 
of  Anahuac.  Maximilian  formed  his  idea  of  sover- 
eignty upon  the  absolute  rule  of  the  Middle  Ages. 
He  would  not  stoop  to  make  popularity  ; he  expected 


357 


35« 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


it  to  be  freely  offered.  Indeed,  lie  had  assented  to 
come  only  when  he  was  summoned  by  the  voice  of 
the  whole  Mexican  people.  This  voice  was  the  re- 
luctant vote  of  a Junta  got  together  by  the  clerical 
party  on  purpose  to  satisfy  his  demand.  But  the 
charm  of  his  presence,  which  was  dignified  and 
princely,  and  the  winning  manner  of  Carlotta,  well 
fitted  to  play  the  part  of  gracious  sovereign  to  an 
adoring  people,  won  all  hearts  for  the  moment. 

A splendid  reception  was  prepared  in  the  capital. 
Triumphal  arches  spanned  the  principal  avenues  to 
the  city,  inscribed  with  the  names  of  the  personages 
who  had  brought  about  the  glorious  intervention. 
The  streets,  especially  San  Francisco  and  Plateros, 
were  hung  with  banners  of  every  color,  set  with  ex- 
quisite flowers  and  plants.  Rows  of  citizens  and 
troops,  dressed  in  their  best,  lined  the  way  through 
which  the  open  carriage  of  Maximilian  and  Carlotta 
made  its  way,  preceded  by  the  officers  of  state,  and 
followed  by  a long  retinue  of  public  functionaries 
and  persons  of  the  highest  aristocracy.  Balconies 
and  azoteas  were  crowded  with  curious  gazers,  and 
vivas  were  not  wanting ; yet  it  is  said  that  the 
populace  kept  away  from  the  solemnity,  or  looked 
on  coldly,  at  the  advent  of  the  foreign  intruders. 

Maximilian  was  accompanied  by  a crowd  of  fol- 
lowers,— his  escort,  household  servants,  and  retinue; 
and  brought  with  him  all  the  material  for  establish- 
ing in  a new  country  a throne  of  the  “ right  divine.” 
Quantities  of  these  things,  for  want  of  lumber-room, 
are  now  stored  at  the  National  Museum  at  Mexico, 
where  one  may  see  in  glass  cases  much  heavy  silver 


SAN  LUIS  DE  POTON. 


360 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


plate  with  the  imperial  arms,  destined  for  the  feasts 
of  this  descendant  of  Charles  V.  ; the  decorations  of 
the  Emperor;  and  below  in  the  courtway  stands  the 
great  glass  coach  in  which  he  sat  with  the  Empress, 
as  once  sat  Cinderella  in  a similar  one.  All  these 
insignia  of  royalty  they  brought  to  impose  upon 
their  new  thralls. 

And  so  the  young  sovereigns  set  about  organizing 
their  ideal  court.  All  society  was  at  their  feet,  and 
the  society  in  Mexico  at  that  time,  if  more  pro- 
vincial than  that  of  Paris  or  Vienna,  yet  had  for 
Maximilian  and  Carlotta  the  merit  of  being  their 
own  domain.  They  were  monarchs  of  all  they 
surveyed.  It  was  indeed  a romance.  All  their 
debts  paid  by  a generous  Napoleon  in  the  back- 
ground, a French  army  full-fledged  to  protect  them, 
a throne,  a court,  a people  ready-made  to  order, — all 
they  had  to  do  was  to  enter  in  and  enjoy  them. 

Marshal  Bazaine,  at  the  head  of  military  affairs,  set 
about  the  restoration  of  the  arsenal,  and  repairing 
the  damages  made  by  the  Thiited  States  war.  On 
his  arrival  he  found  the  service  of  artillery  entirely 
disorganized.  Molino  del  Rey  he  restored  to  its 
functions  of  a foundry,  so  that  it  could  furnish  arms 
and  munitions  for  the  country. 

Napoleon  had  promised  that  the  French  troops 
should  remain  about  Maximilian  for  six  years,  or 
until  his  own  national  army  should  be  on  such  a 
footing  as  to  be  a proper  protection  to  its  Emperor. 
Bazaine  was  therefore  occupied  with  the  recon- 
struction of  the  army,  with  an  eye  to  the  distant  day 
when  he  and  his  force  might  be  recalled. 


302 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Meanwhile,  Maximilian  began  to  govern,  accord- 
ing to  his  lights,  which  were  liberal  as  far  as  the 
limit  of  absolute  monarchy  allowed.  He  sought  to 
gain  the  friendship  of  the  party  allied  to  Juarez, 
holding  the  idea  that  this  native  chief  of  a half- 
civilized  people  had  been  driven  off  the  field  for 
good,  and  that  it  was  to  be  an  easy  task  to  replace 
his  crude  government  with  one  based  on  loftier 
planes.  He  paid  no  attention  to  the  new  code  of 
the  reform,  but  began  to  impose  his  own  regula- 
tions, and  to  legislate  on  all  matters  as  if  Mexico 
were  still  in  its  natural  and  primitive  state.  He 
readily  listened  to  all  sorts  of  plans  for  the  construc- 
tion of  telegraphs,  railways,  and  other  enterprises 
for  the  improvement  of  the  country,  with  little  heed 
to  their  vast  expense. 

Among  these  was  the  restoration  of  the  palace  at 
Chapultepec,  then  in  dismal  ruin  since  the  attack  of 
the  Americans.  From  their  first  glimpse  of  it  the 
new  sovereigns  decided  that  here  should  be  their 
home,  the  chosen  dwelling  which  should  recall  the 
delights  of  Miramar;  recognizing  it  as  the  loveliest 
spot  in  all  the  broad  valley  of  Anahuac.  So  thought 
the  Aztec  chiefs  who  sought  its  shade  in  their  leisure 
moments  ; so  thought  the  viceroy,  Galvez  ; and  so 
thinks  every  one  now  who  drives  from  the  city  over 
the  broad  Pasco,  built  in  the  time  of  Maximilian,  as  a 
fit  approach  to  the  charmed  palace. 

It  stands  on  a height  of  two  hundred  feet  above 
the  valley  ; a winding  road  from  the  avenue  below, 
shaded  by  huge  trees,  leads  to  a platform  where  are 
the  great  stone  buildings  of  the  lower  terrace  be- 


7 'HE  EMPIRE  UNDER  PROTECTION.  363 

longing  to  the  Military  Academy.  On  these  build- 
ings, which  form  its  basement,  is  all  the  range  of 
Maximilian’s  palace,  including  not  only  a suite  of 
state  apartments  and  smaller  rooms,  but,  planted  on 
soil  brought  up  from  below,  a series  of  hanging  gar- 
dens, surrounded  by  galleries  with  marble  columns. 
From  the  tangle  of  shrubbery  and  climbing  masses 
of  neglected  roses,  can  be  seen  below,  stretching  far 
and  wide,  the  extensive  landscape,  and  from  the 
terrace  the  incomparable  view  of  the  volcanoes,  with 
the  broad  interval  between. 

The  interior  decoration  of  Maximilian’s  palace  was 
in  imitation  of  Pompeii.  It  was  furnished  in  the 
French  taste  with  light  stuffs  and  gold,  very  well 
suited  to  its  sunny  height  and  the  pure  atmosphere 
of  the  valley  of  Mexico. 

Fetes,  receptions,  dinners,  and  dances,  every  form 
of  gay  life,  ruled  the  home  at  Chapultepec.  The 
young  Empress,  animated  and  brilliant,  was  the 
centre  of  her  court.  For  a time  no  shadow  fell  upon 
the  bright  prospect  of  the  new  Empire. 

The  capital  presented  an  unusually  lively  aspect. 
The  French  garrison  filled  the  city  with  well-dressed 
regiments  ; business  received  a new  impulse  from 
foreign  merchants  of  all  sorts,  who  came,  at- 
tracted by  the  demands  of  a court  for  luxury; 
the  rich  families  of  the  capital  displayed  their  wealth 
in  all  the  splendor  of  luxurious  living.  After  many 
years  of  discord  and  depression,  the  reaction  brought 
about  by  this  burst  of  prosperity  pervaded  the  cap- 
ital. It  was  true  that  this  satisfaction  was  felt  only 
by  high  society.  There  was  no  real  improve- 


364 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ment  as  yet  in  the  resources  of  the  country  ; the 
middle  class,  with  no  greater  facilities  for  living  than 
before  the  new  order  of  things,  were  poor  and  dis- 
contented, and  murmured  at  the  sight  of  rejoicing 
and  luxury  they  could  not  share.  Carlotta,  with  an 
open  hand,  distributed  alms,  drawn  from  the  fortu- 
nate purse  at  her  disposition  ; but  this,  without 
method  or  definite  aim,  had  no  great  effect  upon  the 
general  prosperity. 

In  fact  it  was  by  no  means  the  purse  of  a benevo- 
lent French  Emperor  that  furnished  funds  for  so 
much  expenditure.  A heavy  loan  was  negotiated 
by  the  crown  in  1864,  in  Paris  and  London,  which 
brought  to  its  use  plenty  of  ready  money,  but  en- 
tailed upon  the  nation  a debt,  of  which  it  is  not  yet 
free.  The  cities  and  separate  states  of  Mexico,  at 
first  readily  surrendered  to  the  troops  of  Maximilian, 
small  foreign  garrisons  being  left  in  each  of  the  prin- 
cipal ones  to  maintain  his  authority  by  their  presence. 
It  was  necessary  to  maintain  military  rule,  however, 
for  fear  of  relapse  towards  the  Republic,  and  on  ac- 
count of  vast  guerrilla  bands,  espousing  the  liberal 
cause,  which  infested  roads  and  small  villages,  where 
constant  encounters  and  actions  took  place  with 
imperial  troops. 

But  the  gay  court  of  Maximilian  little  heeded 
these  things.  They  left  the  army  to  Bazaine,  and 
the  government  to  the  ministers.  Never  was  Mex- 
ico so  brilliant,  so  triumphant,  so  apparently  at  the 
zenith  of  prosperity,  as  during  the  brief  time  of  the 
French  intervention. 


XXXVIII. 

THE  UNPROTECTED  EMPIRE. 

But  there  came  a day  which  put  an  end  to  all 
these  festivities. 

The  civil  war  in  the  United  States  was  over,  leav- 
ing the  government  at  Washington  at  leisure  to 
attend  to  outside  affairs  ; moreover,  leaving  at  its 
disposition  an  army  of  well-trained  troops,  and  a 
treasury  well-filled,  in  spite  of  the  drain  on  both  of 
these  through  a protracted  and  destructive  war. 

On  the  7th  of  April,  1864,  the  Secretary  of  State 
wrote  thus  to  the  United  States  Minister  in  Paris: 

“SlR: — I send  you  herewith  the  copy  of  the 
unanimous  resolution  passed  in  the  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives the  4th  instant.  It  comprises  the  op- 
position of  this  body  to  any  recognition  of  a mon- 
archy in  Mexico.  . . . It  is  scarcely  necessary, 

after  what  I have  previously  written  you,  to  say 
that  this  resolution  sincerely  expresses  the  unani- 
mous sentiment  of  the  people  of  the  United  States.” 

The  will  of  the  United  States  government  settled 
the  question,  and  this  will  was  most  distinctly  made 
manifest.  The  French  Emperor  could  not  involve 
his  people  in  a war  with  the  United  States,  nor  did 

3^5 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


366 

he  himself,  already  somewhat  weary  of  his  own 
scheme  for  establishing  the  supremacy  of  the  Latin 
race  upon  the  western  continent,  regard  it  as  worth 
the  risk  of  such  a war.  He  readily  assented  to  any 
proposition  of  the  government  at  Washington, 
whose  imperative  demand  was  the  withdrawal  of 
French  troops  from  the  continent  of  North  America. 

Louis  Napoleon  has  been  much  blamed  for  his  con- 
duct in  the  matter  of  the  French  intervention,  even 
execrated.  It  is  not  easy  to  defend  it,  but  it  may  be 
said  that  from  the  European  point  of  view,  the  plan 
of  intervention  was  not  such  a bad  one.  Undoubt- 
edly it  originated  in  the  minds  of  the  royalist 
refugees  from  Mexico,  who  sincerely  saw  no  better 
way  of  serving  their  country,  torn  in  pieces  with 
internal  dissensions  and  civil  wars,  than  to  furnish 
her  with  a ready-made  crown  from  the  continent 
where  such  articles  are  furnished. 

The  Church  party,  which  saw  with  genuine  horror 
the  sequestration  of  their  property,  ascribed  it  to  the 
progress  of  so-called  liberal  ideas.  They  were  warm- 
ly encouraged  by  good  Roman  Catholics  in  Europe, 
and  among  them  by  the  Emperor  at  Versailles,  who 
professed  himself  an  ardent  adherent  of  the  Pope. 

The  scheme  was  possible,  because  the  powerful 
neighbors  of  Mexico  were  occupied  in  quarrelling 
among  themselves.  That  quarrel  might  last  until 
the  Latin  race  had  firmly  taken  root.  Napoleon 
never  intended  a permanent  French  occupation  of 
the  country.  It  was  his  whim  to  plant  the  little 
monarchy,  water  it  and  dig  about  its  roots,  and  then 
go  away  to  attend  to  other  affairs. 


THE  UNPROTECTED  EMPIRE. 


S^Z 


The  American  quarrel  did  not  last,  nor  did  the 
monarchy  take  root.  The  French  troops  were  with- 
drawn before  the  government  of  the  Empire  was  in 
any  sense  fully  established.  The  national  army 
which  Bazaine  sought  to  establish  on  a firm  footing 
was  not  strong  enough  or  loyal  enough  to  uphold 
the  Emperor,  and  he  was  sacrificed. 

Everybody  wished  him  to  abdicate.  Napoleon 
sent  a special  messenger  to  Mexico  to  urge  this 
course;  Bazaine  urged  it,  and  it  seems  now  as  if 
Maximilian  himself  must  have  perceived  that  there 
was  nothing  else  left  for  him.  But  he  was  very  slow 
to  admit  such  an  idea.  Neither  he  nor  the  Empress 
in  any  sense  realized  their  perilous  position. 

At  the  end  of  June,  1866,  came  the  final  word  of 
Napoleon,  in  reply  to  an  appeal  sent  to  him  from 
Maximilian,  upon  which  he,  and  still  more  Carlotta, 
had  founded  great  hopes.  The  message  of  the  French 
Emperor  was  short,  its  tenor  distinct,  hard,  making 
it  clear  that  no  further  support  was  to  be  furnished 
by  the  Tuileries  to  the  Mexican  project  ; the  condi- 
tions were  hard,  asserting  that  the  troops  must  be 
immediately  withdrawn.  Maximilian  at  last  under- 
stood that  but  one  course  was  left  to  him — abdica- 
tion. On  the  7th  of  July  he  took  up  his  pen  to 
sign  away  the  Mexican  monarchy  ; but  the  Empress 
stayed  his  hand.  Carlotta,  of  a will  stronger  than 
that  of  her  husband,  with  a determined  ambition, 
offered  to  go  herself  to  Europe  to  make  a personal 
appeal  to  Napoleon  and  another  at  Rome.  On  the 
very  next  day  she  left  the  capital  in  haste,  never  to 
return. 


308 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


It  is  said  that  on  arriving  at  Vera  Cruz  the  Em- 
press could  find  nothing  at  the  quay  but  a small 
French  boat  to  carry  her  out  to  the  great  steamer  in 
the  offing.  She  absolutely  refused  to  place  herself 
under  the  French  colors  which  floated  at  the  stern 
of  the  boat,  so  bitterly  she  felt  the  insult  offered  to 
her  interests  by  the  French  nation. 

She  arrived  at  Saint-Nazaire  early  in  August,  to 
the  surprise  of  the  local  authorities,  and,  still  more, 
of  the  court  of  the  Tuileries.  The  report  of  the 
arrival  of  the  Empress  of  Mexico  produced  a sensa- 
tion at  Paris,  for  public  opinion  there  was  already 
interested  in  the  Mexican  drama.  When  Carlotta 
landed  she  was  the  object  of  a large  crowd  assembled 
on  the  docks.  She  appeared  dressed  in  deep  mourn- 
ing, with  great  sadness  of  demeanor.  Her  face  was 
pale  and  haggard,  and  her  eyes  burned  with  fever. 
She  was  accompanied  only  by  a few  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  her  house.  No  preparation,  of  course, 
had  been  made  for  her;  a common  voiture  de place 
took  her  to  the  hotel.  Her  Mexican  servants,  with 
their  large  sombreros  trimmed  with  gold  braid,  made 
a sensation  in  the  French  port. 

The  next  day  she  arrived  in  Paris,  and  went  to  the 
Grand  Hotel,  refusing  to  ask  hospitality  at  the 
Tuileries.  The  imperial  family  was  at  Saint  Cloud. 
She  at  once  sent  to  request  an  immediate  interview 
with  Napoleon  III. 

The  Minister  of  State  paid  her  a visit  immediately, 
and  she  passed  part  of  the  day  in  conversing  with 
him.  The  next  morning  she  went  to  the  palace, 
although  the  Emperor  had  sent  word  that  he  was 


THE  UNPROTECTED  EMPIRE. 


369 


indisposed.  Finally  he  concluded  to  see  her.  She 
eloquently  demanded,  on  the  part  of  Maximilian, 
continued  aid,  in  money  and  troops.  The  interview 
was  long  and  violent,  it  is  said,  and  full  of  recrimina- 
tion. The  Empress,  as  all  the  fair  structure  of 
hopes  she  had  raised  since  her  departure  from 
Chapultepec  crumbled  before  her,  gave  way  to  bitter 
emotion.  She  declared  that  she,  a king’s  daughter, 
of  the  blood  of  Orleans,  had  made  a terrible  mistake 
to  accept  a throne  from  the  self-made  Emperor  of 
the  French,  a Bonaparte. 

From  this  scene  at  Saint  Cloud  the  madness  of 
the  new  Empress  is  thought  to  have  begun.  She  had 
scarcely  the  force  left  to  continue  her  course  to  the 
Vatican,  where  she  found  no  more  redress  than  she 
had  done  at  the  Tuileries.  The  whole  of  Europe 
had  soon  to  shudder  at  the  news  that  she  had  lost 
her  reason.  She  never  returned  to  Mexico. 

It  was  by  way  of  the  United  States  that  Maxi- 
milian first  heard  of  the  failure  of  the  interview  at 
Saint  Cloud.  He  kept  silent,  still  hoping  better 
success  from  the  negotiations  of  the  Empress  with 
the  Pope;  but  meanwhile  he  quietly  made  prepara- 
tions for  his  departure  from  Mexico,  giving  out  that 
it  was  his  intention  to  meet  the  Empress  at  Vera 
Cruz  on  her  return.  Much  household  baggage  had 
been  already  transferred  thither,  and  the  rumor 
spread  abroad,  of  the  probable  departure  of  the  royal 
household,  producing  a lively  sensation  throughout 
the  country. 

The  time  was  drawing  near.  Maximilian,  at 
Chapultepec,  under  the  melancholy  boughs  of  the 


37o 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


cypresses,  gloomily  paced  the  alleys,  dreaming  of 
his  shattered  hopes.  A telegraphic  despatch  was 
put  in  his  hands,  sent  through  the  United  States.  It 
announced  that  the  Empress  Carlotta  was  mad. 
Maximilian  at  once  gave  orders  for  departure,  and 
wrote  to  Bazainethat  he  was  about  to  leave  Mexico. 

The  society  of  the  capital  was  struck  with  grief  at 
the  news  of  Carlotta’s  state,  for  they  had  an  ardent 
adoration  of  their  brilliant  Empress. 

The  Emperor  went  first  to  Orizaba,  where  he  was 
obliged  to  delay  the  many  necessary  final  arrange- 
ments. There  was  no  railway  then,  and  the  journey 
was  made  in  a carriage.  Maximilian  preserved  a 
gloomy  silence  all  the  way.  As  the  little  party  ap- 
proached Orizaba  early  in  the  morning,  having  passed 
a night  in  a little  village  on  the  way,  Maximilian 
alighted  to  walk  down  the  zig-zag  way  which  leads 
from  the  plateau  towards  the  iicrra  calicntc.  He 
walked  swiftly  and  silently,  wrapped  in  a long  gray 
coat,  a broad-brimmed  sombrero  on  his  head,  some- 
times turning  to  glance  back  at  the  heights  he  m ight 
never  see  again.  While  they  were  stopping  at  noon 
for  rest  and  refreshment,  the  eleven  white  mules 
which  drew  their  carriages  were  stolen  ; it  was  a long 
time  before  other  animals  could  be  found  to  take 
their  places.  Finally,  the  sun  was  setting  as  they 
reached  the  pretty  village  of  Ingenio,  outside  of  Ori- 
zaba. There  awaited  the  little  party  a group  of 
horsemen,  inhabitants  of  Orizaba,  and  several  curates, 
who  had  come  out  to  greet  the  Emperor,  followed 
by  a crowd  of  Indians.  Bells  were  rung,  guns  fired, 
and  his  welcome  was  universal. 


THE  UNPROTECTED  EMPIRE. 


The  Emperor  stayed  a week  in  Orizaba,  dur- 
ing which  Bazaine  impatiently  awaited  in  Mexico 
his  final  announcement  of  departure.  But  Maxi- 
milian was  still  hesitating.  He  was  approached  and 
surrounded  by  certain  members  of  the  clerical  party, 
who  felt  sure  that  the  fall  of  the  monarchy  would  be 
their  ruin.  Among  these  was  Father  Fischer,  to 
whom  Maximilian  accorded  the  greatest  confidence. 

This  man,  of  German  origin,  emigrated  to  Texas 
about  1845,  and  afterwards,  in  search  of  gold,  to 
California.  He  was  at  first  a Protestant,  but  con- 
verted, received  orders  somewhere  in  Mexico,  and 
obtained  the  post  of  secretary  to  the  Bishop  of  Du- 
rango. He  was  introduced  to  Maximilian,  who  was 
attracted  by  his  appearance,  which  betrayed  great 
intelligence ; he  became  one  of  the  most  trusted 
advisers  of  the  Emperor.  He  succeeded  in  surround- 
ing Maximilian  with  agents  of  the  reactionary,  or 
clerical  party,  who  urged  him  not  to  abandon  them 
at  this  dark  hour,  at  the  same  time  assuring  him  of 
the  hidden  force  of  the  party,  and  its  resources.  At 
this  very  time  the  city  of  Oaxaca,  defended  by  Mex- 
ican imperial  troops,  was  obliged  to  capitulate  and 
open  its  doors  to  Porfirio  Diaz,  the  general  of  liberal 
forces.  Yet  Maximilian  wavered.  It  was  difficult, 
even  yet,  for  him  to  renounce  the  crown  of  his 
visions.  Moreover,  honor,  fidelity  to  the  Church, 
prompted  him  to  remain,  even  to  perish  for  that 
cause.  Just  then,  to  reinforce  the  eloquence  of 
P'ather  Fischer,  two  generals,  devoted  to  the  clerical 
cause,  who  had  been  in  exile  in  Europe  for  two  years, 
disembarked  at  Vera  Cruz,  and  instantly  offered  their 


372 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


services  to  the  Emperor;  these  were  Miramon  and 
Marquez,  eager,  as  they  declared,  to  open  the  cam- 
paign again  under  the  imperial  banner.  Maximilian, 
inspired  by  their  discourse  and  their  promises  of 
arms  and  money,  hesitated  no  longer,  but  pledged 
his  word  to  the  clerical  party  to  return  to  his  station, 
and  resume  its  dignities.  Miramon  hastened  to 
Mexico  to  rouse  the  ardor  of  all  the  partisans  of  the 
Church,  and  to  set  on  foot  a new  army. 

The  Emperor  issued  a manifesto  to  the  Mexican 
people,  and  returning  to  Mexico,  instead  of  going 
back  to  the  palace  of  Chapultepec,  took  up  quarters 
ii\  a modest  hacienda  outside  the  capital,  called  La 
Teja. 


XXXIX. 

MAXIMILIAN. 

General-in-Chief  Bazaine,  the  envoy  from  the 
Tuileries,  and  all  true  friends  of  the  Emperor,  heard 
with  dismay  his  resolution  to  remain.  His  peaceful 
abdication  had  been  hoped  for  by  all  parties.  Bazaine 
sought  to  withdraw  his  troops,  since  withdraw  they 
must,  in  as  orderly  a manner  as  possible.  Overtures 
had  even  been  made  with  the  liberals,  in  regard  to 
a successor  to  Maximilian,  that  all  parties  might  be 
harmonized  if  possible,  so  that  the  country  should 
find  itself  under  firm  hands,  just  as  if  there  had  been 
no  French  intervention,  as  soon  as  the  Republic  was 
clear  of  French  troops.  But  the  manifesto  of  the 
Emperor  rendered  all  such  hopes  vain.  The  in- 
sistance  of  the  United  States  and  repeated  orders 
from  France  made  it  necessary  to  remove  the  French 
troops  without  delay.  French  steamers  awaited 
them  off  the  coast  of  Vera  Cruz,  and  the  hour  of 
departure  was  fixed. 

At  the  end  of  the  month  of  January,  1S67,  the 
French  army,  in  full  retreat,  rolled  out  its  long  course 
“ like  a ribbon  of  steel  ” over  the  dusty  route  between 
the  capital  and  Vera  Cruz.  Cannons  were  broken 
up,  horses  were  sold  for  almost  nothing,  to  reappear 


373 


374 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


later  in  the  ranks  of  the  liberal  army.  On  the  5th 
of  February  the  tri-colored  flag  of  France,  which  had 
floated  over  French  head-quarters, was  lowered;  the 
capital  was  freed  from  the  occupation  of  the  French. 
Moreover,  the  Belgian  and  Austrian  troops  went  too, 
for  the  Emperor  was  unwilling  to  retain  them,  re- 
solving to  trust  himself  wholly  to  the  arms  of  his 
Mexican  subjects. 

Meantime  Juarez,  much  encouraged  by  the  aspect 
of  things  and  by  intimations  of  approval  from  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  had  advanced 
from  the  north,  where  he  had  been  lying  in  wait  for 
better  times,  and  fixed  his  residence,  with  his  Cabinet, 
which  he  always  kept  about  him,  in  Zacatecas. 
General  Escobedo,  chief  of  his  armies  in  the  north, 
had  reconquered  that  portion  of  the  country  as  far 
as  San  Luis  de  Potosi,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
cities  and  states,  abandoned  by  the  French,  fell  at 
once  into  the  hands  of  the  liberals. 

It  was  thought  best  by  the  imperialists  to  advance 
towards  the  enemy  as  far  as  Queretaro,  and  there  the 
army  established  itself,  Maximilian  with  it,  while 
Miramon  advanced  towards  Zacatecas  and  surprised 
it,  almost  taking  Juarez  prisoner  with  his  whole 
government. 

The  Emperor  was  accompanied  almost  wholly  by 
Mexicans,  only  a few  Europeans  being  about  him. 
He  was  determined  to  excite  no  jealousy  in  the 
minds  of  his  subjects  by  apparent  preference  for  those 
of  his  own  country.  As  for  the  French,  they  were  no 
longer  desired  by  him.  General  Marquez  was  his 
quartermaster-general ; his  aides-de-camp  were  Mexi- 


MAXIMILIAN. 


375 


can  ; his  physician  accompanied  him,  Dr.  Basch,  who 
was  a worthy  and  devoted  friend  up  to  his  last  mo- 
ments. Personally  attached  to  the  Emperor  was  the 
young  Prince  Felix  of  Salm-Salm,  who  had  been 
fighting  in  the  civil  war  of  the  United  States,  and 
came  to  Mexico,  for  want  of  other  occupation,  lie 
attached  himself  to  the  cause  of  Maximilian  with  a 
devotion  which  became  ardent  before  the  end.  Be- 
sides these  gentlemen,  the  Emperor  had  with  him  a 
Hun  garian  cook  and  four  Mexican  servants. 

Thanks  to  the  vigorous  measures  of  Miramon  and 
the  clerical  party,  Maximilian  found  himself  at  the 
head  of  an  army  of  more  than  eight  thousand  men. 
Among  these  were  found  the  most  active  and  valiant 
chiefs  of  the  old  regular  army,  who  showed  great 
bravery,  as  did  their  trained  soldiers,  but  nearly  half 
the  troops  were  raw  Mexican  recruits,  ready  to  run 
away  at  a moment’s  notice. 

Queretaro  was  soon  invested  by  the  army  of  the 
north  under  General  Escobedo.  Daily  skirmishes 
took  place,  which  showed  great  daring  on  both  sides. 
The  troops  of  the  Emperor  sallied  out  for  provi- 
sions, of  which  there  was  soon  sore  need  within  the 
besieged  city,  returning  after  each  attack  to  their 
quarters,  around  which  the  liberals  were  drawing 
their  lines  closer  and  closer.  The  investment  lasted 
two  months,  during  which  General  Marquez  was 
sent  by  Maximilian  to  the  capital  for  those  forces 
and  funds  which  had  been  so  confidently  promised 
him  by  the  clergy.  Marquez  succeeded  in  avoiding 
the  liberal  army,  but  never  returned,  and  no  rein- 
forcements whatever  were  sent  to  Oueretaro.  He 


3 76 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


made  use  of  the  troops  and  funds  lie  was  able  to 
raise  in  the  capital  in  order  to  attack  General  Diaz 
who  was  advancing  upon  Puebla.  Diaz  captured 
Puebla,  after  a siege  of  twenty-five  days,  and  then 
turned  round  and  utterly  routed  Marquez,  who,  tak- 
ing refuge  in  flight,  returned  almost  alone  to  the 
capital  under  cover  of  the  night.  Had  he  brought 
back  his  troops  to  the  succor  of  Queretaro,  the  imme- 
diate result  might  have  been  different,  but  the  fall  of 
the  Empire  could  not  be  long  delayed.  During  this 
long  and  trying  siege,  the  conduct  of  Maximilian  was 
admirable.  He  won  everybody  by  the  gentleness 
and  cheerfulness  of  his  bearing,  brave  to  a fault,  and 
exposing  himself  fearlessly  to  the  fire  of  the  enemy. 
Several  plans  of  escape  were  formed,  by  which  the 
Emperor,  with  a few  guards,  was  to  disappear  from 
the  city  and  place  himself  at  the  head  of  his  troops 
elsewhere,  but  these  were  generally  frustrated  at  the 
last  moment  by  the  unwillingness  of  Maximilian  to 
abandon  his  brave  companions,  from  a delicate  sense 
of  honor. 

Maximilian,  at  Queretaro,  is  described  by  the 
Prince  of  Salm-Salm,  as  generally  in  citizen’s  dress; 
but  when  he  stood  at  the  head  of  his  troops  he  wore 
the  uniform  of  a general  of  division. 

He  was  about  six  feet  high,  of  a slender  figure. 
His  movements  and  gait  were  light  and  graceful, 
his  greeting  especially  genial.  He  had  fair  hair,  not 
very  thick,  which  he  wore  carefully  parted  in  the 
middle.  His  beard  was  fair  and  very  long,  and  he 
nursed  it  with  great  care,  parting  it  in  the  middle, 
and  frequently  stroking  it  with  his  hand.  His  skin 


MAXIMILIAN. 


377 


was  pure  and  clear,  and  his  eyes  were  blue.  His 
mouth  had  the  unmistakable  stamp  of  the  Hapsburg 
house,  but  not  so  strongly  marked  as  with  some  of 
his  illustrious  family.  The  expression  of  his  face  was 
kind  and  friendly,  and  so  was  his  bearing;  even  with 
his  intimate  friends  he  was  never  familiar,  but  pre- 
served a certain  dignity  of  manner.  He  was  true  to 
his  friends  and  loyal  to  a fault,  for  he  never  could 
suspect  treachery  in  those  who  surrounded  him.  His 
love  of  beauty  and  harmony  was  so  great  that  he 
was  easily  captivated  by  handsome  people  with  pleas- 
ing manners,  and  he  could  not  divest  himself  of  the 
idea  that  a fine  human  form  must  contain  a noble 
soul.  The  strength  of  mind  and  moral  dignity  he 
displayed  when  his  misfortunes  came  upon  him,  and 
the  sadness  of  his  fate,  silence  whatever  criticisms  of 
his  course  may  be  suggested  by  the  events  of  his 
brief  career  in  Mexico. 

The  condition  of  the  foreign  army  shut  up  in 
Oueretaro  became  more  and  more  painful.  Provi- 
sions. grew  scarce.  Maximilian,  with  the  greatest 
serenity,  accepted  the  coarse,  tough  food  which  was 
all  that  could  be  had.  The  only  hope  of  the  garri- 
son was  in  Marquez,  and  day  after  day  brought  only 
disappointment,  as  no  troops  appeared  from  the 
capital. 

On  the  night  of  the  14th  of  May,  Gen.  Lopez,  who 
had  the  charge  of  the  most  important  point  in 
Queretaro,  the  Convent  de  la  Cruz,  betrayed  his 
trust  and  admitted  two  battalions  of  the  enemy  into 
the  citadel.  From  this  point  they  advanced  to  other 
parts  of  the  city,  where  all  became  at  once  terror 


3/3 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


and  confusion.  Lopez  had  been  won  by  the  lib- 
erals, but  he  had  not  intended  that  the  Emperor 
should  be  captured,  and  indeed  gave  him  ample 
warning  that  he  might  escape.  With  his  aides-de- 
camp  Maximilian  passed,  untouched,  by  some  liberal 
soldiers  and  gained  a little  hill  just  outside  the  town. 
Here  he  surrendered  to  a detachment  of  the  victo- 
rious army  and  delivered  up  his  sword.  The  horse 
of  the  Emperor  was  brought  to  him,  and  the  little 
party  rode  to  meet  Escobedo,  the  victorious  general. 
Generals  Miramon  and  Mejia  were  also  then  taken 
prisoners.  Mendez,  another  imperialist,  succeeded 
in  lying  concealed  for  a few  days,  but  being  found, 
he  was  shot  at  once. 

For  a month  Maximilian  and  his  generals  remained 
prisoners  in  Queretaro,  while  their  fate  hung  unde- 
cided in  the  hands  of  Juarez.  Even  then  there  were 
propositions  for  the  escape  of  the  Emperor,  boldly 
planned  and  helped  by  ample  funds  ; but  he  always 
failed  at  the  last  moment  to  avail  himself  of  them. 

The  Princess  of  Salm-Salm,  an  American  by  birth, 
was  as  devoted  to  the  cause  of  the  unfortunate 
Emperor  as  her  husband.  She  showed  great  energy 
and  courage  at  Queretaro,  visiting  Maximilian  and 
carrying  messages  between  him  and  the  Prince, 
from  whom  he  was  separated.  She  even  went  to 
San  Luis  de  Potosi  to  beseech  the  clemency  of  the 
liberal  chief,  Juarez,  or  at  least  obtain  a delay,  but 
her  pleading  was  in  vain. 

The  decision  of  the  President,  which  nothing 
could  shake,  was,  that  the  traitors,  as  they  were 
called,  should  be  tried  by  court-martial.  The  trial 


379  HEAD-QUARTERS  OF  JUAREZ  AT  SAN  LUIS  DE  POTOSI. 


38q 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


was  but  a farce,  the  result  a foregone  conclusion., 
although  the  cause  of  Maximilian  was  eloquently 
urged  by  his  counsel,  Mariano  Riva  Palacios  and 
Rafael  Martinez  de  la  Torre. 

Maximilian  met  his  death  with  great  composure 
and  heroism.  He  rose  early  on  the  fatal  morning, 
and  at  five  o’clock  mass  was  celebrated.  With  the 
stroke  of  six  o’clock  a liberal  officer  came  to  take 
him.  He  said  “ I am  ready,”  and  came.from  his  cell, 
where  he  was  surrounded  by  his  few  servants,  who 
wept  and  kissed  his  hands.  He  said  to  them  : “ Be 
calm  ; you  see  that  I am  so.  It  is  the  will  of  God 
that  I should  die  ; against  that  we  cannot  strive.” 

Mi  nun  on  and  Mejia  came  forward,  and  he  em- 
braced them  both.  On  arriving  in  the  street  he 
looked  round  him,  and  drawing  a deep  breath,  said  : 
“ What  a beautiful  day ! On  such  a one  I have 
always  wished  to  die.” 

The  streets  were  crowded  ; every  one  greeted  the 
condemned  Archduke  with  respect ; the  women  wept 
aloud.  He  responded  to  these  greetings  with  his 
usual  gentle  smile. 

He  made  a short  address  to  the  Mexicans,  of 
which  these  were  the  last  words  : 

“ Mexicans  ! May  my  blood  be  the  last  spilt  for 
the  welfare  of  the  country,  and  if  more  should  be 
shed,  may  it  flow  for  its  good,  and  not  by  treason. 
Viva  Independencia  ! Viva  Mexico  ! ” 

■Maximilian.  Miramon,  and  Mejia  were  all  shot  at 
the  same  moment. 

Thus  really  closed  the  episode  of  the  French  inter- 
vention in  Mexico.  The  foreign  intruder,  encour- 


THE  CONVENT  OF  CAPUCHINAS. 
(Last  prison  of  Maximilian.) 


382 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


aged  by  the  short-lived  intention  of  a European 
potentate  to  plant  the  Latin  race  upon  the  soil  of 
the  New  World,  abandoned  by  his  instigator,  be- 
trayed by  his  few  remaining  troops,  was  dead.  There 
was  no  longer  question  of  a foreign  prince  upon  the 
Aztec  throne. 


XL. 

END  OF  THE  EPISODE. 

The  city  of  Mexico,  after  the  departure  of  Maxi- 
milian for  Queretaro,  had  remained  tranquil  awaiting 
events.  The  Emperor  sent  back  immediately  Gen- 
eral Santiago  Vidaurri,  who  had  accompanied  him 
out  of  the  capital,  with  full  powers  to  govern  the 
city. 

This  man  had  been  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  liberal 
party,  and  had  often  fought,  on  the  opposite  side, 
both  Marquez  and  Miramon.  As  governor  of  the 
state  of  Nueva  Leon,  he  had  brought  its  administra- 
tion into  such  good  order  that  it  was  an  example  to 
the  rest  of  Mexico.  Disgusted  with  anarchy,  and 
disliking  Juarez  personally,  he  espoused  the  cause  of 
Maximilian  as  the  best  chance  for  his  country  of 
regular  government  ; yet  he  always  remained  a lib- 
eral, not  joining  the  clerical  party,  and  thus  was  dis- 
trusted by  Miramon  and  the  rest,  who  kept  him 
away  from  the  Emperor  as  much  as  they  could. 
Nevertheless  Maximilian,  recognizing  his  worth  and 
his  capacity  for  organization,  entrusted  him  with  the 
charge  of  the  capital.  But  Marquez,  when  he 
reached  Mexico,  after  successfully  evading  the 
enemy  around  Queretaro,  instead  of  sending  back 

383 


334 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


money  and  troops  to  succor  that  besieged  place, 
assumed  the  position  of  lieutenant  of  the  Empire, 
and  proceeded  to  govern  the  capital.  Vidaurri 
withdrew  from  the  scene,  and  from  that  time  was 
allowed  no  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  imperialists;  yet 
he  did  not  escape  judgment  from  the  liberals,  and 
was  shot,  among  the  first  examples  of  their  govern- 
ment restored  to  power. 

Marquez  was  intended  for  the  same  fate,  but  he 
kept  in  hiding,  and  succeeded  later  in  escaping  to 
the  coast,  where  he  embarked  for  Havana.  He  then 
returned  to  Mexico,  after  travelling  abroad  under  an 
assumed  name.  He  is  described  as  a lively  little 
man  with  black  hair  and  sharp  black  eyes.  He  wore 
a full  beard,  which  concealed  a disfiguring  scar  on 
his  cheek  caused  by  a bullet  wound.  His  cruelty  in 
war  won  him  the  name  of  the  “ Mexican  Alva,”  but 
that  stern  old  campaigner  better  deserves  the  re- 
spect of  posterity  than  such  a namesake.  Alva 
would  not  have  left  a besieged  city  to  fall  a prey  to 
one  enemy,  while  he  led  his  troops  to  a futile  en- 
counter with  another  one  more  powerful  than  his 
own  force. 

The  brilliant  capture  of  Puebla  by  General  Por- 
firio  Diaz  brought  into  prominence  this  name,  which 
has  since  been  of  the  greatest  importance  in  the 
story  of  Mexico. 

Puebla,  after  the  departure  of  the  French  troops 
from  the  country,  was  left  in  the  hands  of  General 
Noriega.  It  had  been  in  the  possession  of  the  im- 
perialists scarcely  five  years,  and  the  courageous 
repulse  of  the  French  troops  on  the  5th  of  May, 


END  OF  THE  EPISODE. 


385 


1862,  was  still  fresh  in  every  Mexican  mind,  as  in- 
deed it  is  to-day,  an  inspiring  example  of  their 
capacity  for  defending  their  homes.  Yet  the  imperi- 
alists held  the  city  for  twenty-five  days,  in  spite  of 
the  vigorous  attack,  at  five  separate  points,  by  the 
liberals.  Diaz  himself,  with  two  companions,  was 
buried  for  a time  underneath  a falling  roof,  and 
thought  to  be  lost,  but  they  were  rescued  after  a few 
moments  without  injury.  It  was  General  Diaz,  with 
his  troops,  who  took  possession  of  the  capital  for 
the  liberals  on  the  21st  of  June,  1867.  Assuming 
military  command,  he  at  once  introduced  order  into 
the  city,  providing  corn  and  food  for  the  hungry 
population,  who  stood  in  great  need  of  it.  No  per- 
secution visited  the  conquered  imperialists,  with  the 
exception  of  the  active  leaders,  who  were  condemned 
to  be  shot  or  imprisoned. 

The  vigorous  action  of  the  liberal  government 
towards  Maximilian  and  the  imperialist  generals, 
however,  impressed  the  country  with  its  inflexible 
determination,  as  well  as  its  power  to  execute  its 
intent.  The  Republic  reinstated  upon  the  ruins  of 
so  brief  an  attempt  at  monarchy,  Mexican  rule,  after 
the  bold  effort  to  ingraft  upon  the  country  a foreign 
potentate,  proved  to  have  a firmer  grasp  upon  the 
country  than  in  all  its  previous  essays. 


XLI. 

THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ANNA. 

On  the  15th  of  July,  Juarez  made  a solemn  entry 
into  the  capital.  Many  good  citizens  of  Mexico, 
who  had  watched  gloomily  the  whole  episode  of  the 
French  intervention,  now  emerged  to  light  and  re- 
joiced conspicuously  in  the  return  of  their  legitimate 
chief.  Juarez,  all  this  time,  had  never  relinquished 
his  title  of  President,  but  wherever  he  found  himself 
had  kept  up  the  state  due  to  the  office,  and  retained 
his  Cabinet.  He  was  received  with  genuine  accla- 
mations by  the  populace,  while  high  society  re- 
mained within  doors,  curtains  close-drawn,  except 
that  the  women  took  pride  in  showing  their  deep 
mourning  for  the  death  of  the  Emperor.  The  reign 
of  French  fashions  and  frivolity  was  over  when  the 
troops  of  Bazaine  marched  from  the  town.  There 
are  still  lurking  in  the  capital  descendants  of  French 
pastry-cooks  and  barbers,  who  shake  their  heads 
mournfully  over  the  good  old  days,  all  too  brief,  of 
the  imperial  court.  A French  flavor  still  lingers 
about  the  capital  ; it  is  welcome  in  the  excellent 
cuisine  of  the  Cafe  Anglais,  and  is  evident  in  the 
handiwork  of  certain  Parisian  modistes. 

Peace  now  came  back  to  the  country.  A gen 


THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ANNA. 


387 


eral  election  established  Juarez  as  President,  and 
order  and  progress  once  more  consented  to  test  the 
good  resolutions  of  the  Republic.  The  first  days  of 
the  new  era  were  tranquil,  and  all  went  well,  in  spite 
of  the  restlessness  of  generals  of  the  liberals  them- 
selves, who  could  ill  bear  to  forego  their  inherent 
tendency  to  disputing  and  wrangling.  Above  all, 
Santa  Anna  was  still  alive,  and  it  was  not  to  be 
hoped  that  he  would  hold  himself  aloof  from  a share 
in  the  prosperity  of  the  nation. 

He  had  retired  to  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas,  and 
was  growing  old.  Yet  he  watched  from  afar  every 
turn  of  affairs  in  Mexico.  No  sooner  had  Maxi- 
milian landed  at  Vera  Cruz,  than  he  received  a let- 
ter of  congratulation  from  Santa  Anna,  expressing 
his  entire  approval  of  the  French  scheme,  and  his 
wish  to  further  it.  He  even  came  to  Vera  Cruz  to 
lend  his  services  to  the  Emperor,  but  as  no  notice 
whatever  was  taken  of  these  overtures,  he  became 
indignant  and  withdrew  his  countenance  from  the 
new  government.  He  went  to  New  York,  and  fixed 
his  residence  in  Elizabethport,  New  Jersey,  where  he 
published  manifestoes  against  the  Empire  and  the 
French,  and  sought  an  alliance  with  Juarez.  The 
President,  like  the  Emperor,  ignored  all  overtures 
from  the  Mexican  king-maker,  who  instantly  turned 
his  superabundant  energies  to  conspiring  against 
the  Republic,  just  as  it  was  struggling  to  take  up, 
once  more,  the  threads  of  order. 

On  the  1 2th  of  July,  1867,  he  was  seized  on  board 
a steamboat  he  had  fitted  out,  charged  with  con- 
spiring against  government,  and  narrowly  escaped 


388 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


being  shot  on  the  spot ; but  more  moderate  meas- 
ures prevailed,  and  lie  was  allowed  a legal  trial  by 
a council  of  war.  Doubtless  influenced  by  all  his 
real  services  at  the  head  of  the  national  army, 
which  in  time  past  he  had  conferred  upon  his 
country,  and  through  untiring  efforts  in  his  behalf 
by  his  friends  and  family,  this  council  did  not  con- 
demn him  to  death,  but  a sentence  was  passed  upon 
him  of  exile  for  eight  years.  He  returned  to  St. 
Thomas,  much  impoverished  by  this  last  attempt 
against  good  government,  and  broken  with  years 
and  failure. 

At  the  end  of  his  time  of  exile,  or  perhaps,  in- 
deed, before  its  expiration,  he  returned  quietly  to 
the  city  of  Mexico,  and  died  there  on  the  20th  of 
June,  1876,  in  his  house  in  the  Calle  de  Vergaza. 
He  was  over  eighty  years  old,  blind,  lame,  poor. 
His  last  days  were  embittered  by  his  sensitive  con- 
viction that  his  great  deeds  were  not  appreciated  by 
his  country.  He  was  buried  in  the  city  of  Guada- 
lupe, without  honors  or  recognition  by  government, 
who,  naturally,  it  may  be  supposed,  retained  their 
fear  of  rousing  the  populace  even  by  so  dead  a lion. 

A family  connection  of  Santa  Anna  has  written  a 
life  of  him,  in  which  fulsome  justice  is  done  to  his 
good  qualities.  He  says,  and  perhaps  with  reason, 
that  had  he  died  immediately  after  the  loss  of  his 
leg  in  driving  the  French  from  Vera  Cruz  “ this 
bencmcrito  mutilado  had  surely  left  not  one  single 
personal  enemy.” 

With  great  gifts  of  bravery  and  military  skill,  and 
with  a love  of  his  country  it  is  but  fair  to  allow 


THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ANNA. 


3§9 


him,  probably  not  possessing  the  black  character- 
istics ascribed  to  him  by  his  enemies,  he  was  at 
the  best  a turbulent,  troublesome  creature,  an  ex- 
ponent in  his  own  person  of  all  the  dangerous 
qualities  of  the  Mexican  character,  which  for  so 
long  a time  have  kept  the  country  far  away  from 
the  true  path  to  prosperity. 

The  character  of  Juarez,  on  the  other  hand,  rep- 
resents precisely  the  opposite  qualities  of  the 
Mexican  race,  inherited  from  his  Indian  parentage, — 
endurance,  patience,  imperturbability.  Calm  in  the 
midst  of  exciting  elements,  he  knew  how  to  stand 
and  wait  for  his  turn.  These  qualities,  so  useful  to 
him  in  adversity  were  supplemented  by  executive 
ability,  good  sense,  and  prompt  action,  which,  when 
he  returned  to  power,  enabled  him  to  rule  wisely 
without  losing  his  balance  on  the  giddy  height  of 
success,  like  many  of  his  predecessors. 

His  seat  was  not  secure,  and  peace  was  not  con- 
firmed in  emotional  Mexico.  The  restless  popu- 
lation, untrained  to  any  permanent  government, 
wearied  of  his  rule,  and  early  in  his  administration  be- 
gan to  clamor  that  he  had  been  President  long  enough. 
This  people,  scarcely  yet  freed  from  three  hundred 
years  of  foreign  control,  found  four  years  of  one 
liberal  leader  enough  to  convert  him  in  their  eyes 
into  a tyrant.  As  the  period  of  election  approached, 
in  1871,  party  lines  became  sharply  divided,  and  the 
question  of  his  return  to  power  was  warmly  con- 
tested. A large  body  still  advocated  the  re-election 
of  Juarez,  as  of  the  greatest  importance  to  the  con- 
solidation of  the  Constitution  and  reform,  but  the 


39° 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


admirers  of  military  glory  claimed  the  honors  of 
President  for  General  Diaz,  who  had  done  so  much, 
at  the  head  of  the  army,  to  restore  the  Republic.  A 
third  party  represented  the  interests  of  Lerdo,  min- 
ister of  Juarez  all  through  the  epoch  of  the  inter- 
vention, a man  of  great  strength  of  character  and 
capacity  for  government.  The  argument  of  the 
Lcrdistas  was  that  re-election  was  contrary  to  the 
principles  of  democratic  government ; of  the  Por- 
firisias  that  their  idol,  Diaz,  deserved  the  reward  of 
the  highest  gift  of  his  fellow-citizens  ; of  the  Juaris- 
tas,  that  things  were  very  well  as  they  were,  and 
had  better  so  remain. 

The  campaign  was  vigorous  throughout  the 
country.  The  press,  the  tribune,  personal  influence, 
were  all  at  work  in  every  state  for  each  of  the  great 
parties.  The  election  took  place  ; the  Juaristas  were 
triumphant.  Their  party  had  a fair  majority,  and 
Juarez  was  re-elected.  But  the  Mexicans  not  yet 
had  learned  to  accept  the  ballot,  and  a rebellion  fol- 
lowed. The  two  defeated  parties  combined,  and 
civil  war  began  again. 

Government  defended  itself  with  vigor  and  resolu- 
tion, and  in  spite  of  the  popularity  of  General  Diaz  as 
a commander,  held  its  own  duringa  campaign  of  more 
than  a year.  Its  opponents  were  still  undaunted, 
and  the  struggle  might  have  long  continued  but  for 
the  sudden  death  of  Juarez,  on  the  19th  of  July, 
1872.  At  dawn  of  that  day,  the  sound  of  cannon 
from  the  citadel  fired  at  slow  intervals  awoke  the 
population,  who  learned  on  inquiry  that  their 
President  had  died  during  the  night. 


THE  LAST  OF  SANTA  ANNA.  39 1 

Juarez  had  a singularly  robust  constitution  ; he 
habitually  worked  eight  or  ten  hours  a day  without 
fatigue,  but,  unconsciously  to  himself,  some  organic 
infirmity  was  affecting  him.  He  was  seized  during 
the  night  with  great  pain  at  the  heart,  and  died  very 
soon  in  much  suffering. 

All  society  was  deeply  moved  by  the  death  of 
this  their  faithful  servant,  who  had  given  his  life  to 
their  service.  Every  party  joined  in  the  solemn 
ceremony  of  his  burial,  which  took  place  attended 
by  an  immense  concourse  of  citizens. 

Don  Sebastian  Lerdo  de  Tejada,  then  President 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  assumed  the  government, 
was  elected  President,  and  the  late  agitation  of 
parties  was  at  an  end. 


XLII. 


PORFIKIO  DIAZ. 

For  three  years  peace  reigned  in  Mexico,  and  then 
began  another  revolution.  Towards  the  end  of 
1 875,  rumors  of  dissatisfaction  were  afloat ; in  spite  of 
the  present  quiet,  which  seemed  solid  and  durable, 
distrust  reigned,  yet  no  one  voice  proclaimed  the 
nature  of  the  malady.  Early  in  the  next  year,  a 
“ Plan  ” was  started,  one  of  those  fatal  propositions 
for  change  which  have  always  spread  like  wildfire 
through  the  Mexican  community.  By  midsummer, 
the  Republic  was  once  more  plunged  in  civil  war. 

Although  he  had  apparently  no  hand  in  the  “ Plan  ” 
of  Tuxtepec,  General  Porfirio  Diaz  appeared  at  the 
head  of  the  army  of  the  revolutionists.  He  had 
been  living  quietly  in  the  neighborhood  of  Vera 
Cruz,  but  now  he  emerged  to  take  an  active  part  in 
the  general  disturbance. 

Porfirio  Diaz  was  born  in  Oaxaca,  on  the  15th  of 
September,  1830.  This  state,  the  farthest  of  all  the 
states  to  the  south,  and  except  Chiapas,  the  limit  of 
the  Mexican  Republic,  has  many  claims  to  distinc- 
tion. Its  northern  part  formed  the  Marquezado,  or 
grant,  given  in  1529  to  Cortes,  with  the  title  of  Mar- 
ques del  Valle  de  Oaxaca. 

The  scenery  of  Oaxaca  is  of  the  wildest  and  grand- 
392 


P0RFIR10  DIAZ. 


39.) 


est  in  Mexico.  The  Pass  of  Salomea,  leading  to  the 
city,  recalls  those  of  Switzer- 
land. Wild  animals,  not  only 
deer,  but  pumas  and  even  the 
jaguar,  roam  over  its  slopes,  cov- 
ered with  fan-palms  and  other 
tropical  growths,  while  higher 
up  is  a forest  of  palms  and  oaks 
growing  together.  At  the  sum- 
mit is  a grand  view  of  the  valley 
of  Oaxaca. 

The  city,  like  Puebla,  is  of 
Spanish  foundation,  but  at  no 
very  great  distance  from  it  are 
the  ancient  ruins  of  Mitla,  still 
a puzzle  to  archaeologists,  since 
nothing  certain  is  known  even 
of  the  tribes  found  in  that  region 
by  the  Conquistadores, — the 
Zapotecas,  or  the  traditions  of 
their  origin.  Their  customs  seem 
to  have  been  like  those  of  the 
Mexicans,  but  their  language 
resembled  that  of  the  Mayas. 

They  were  subject  to  long 
struqqles  with  the  Aztecs,  and 
at  the  end  of  the  15th  century 
their  capital  city,  Mitla,  was 
taken  and  given  over  to  pillage, 
and  the  prisoners  taken  to 
Mexico  to  be  offered  up  on  the  altars  of  Huitzilo- 
pochtii. 


ZAPOTEC  ORNAMENT. 


394 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO . 


The  ruins  stand  in  the  midst  of  a gloomy,  cheer- 
less landscape,  of  stunted  vegetation,  sandy  soil, 
from  which  project  dull  gray  rocks.  No  singing 
birds  or  even  insects  frequent  the  place  ; the  turkey- 
buzzard  soars  over  the  lonely  tract  under  a gloomy 

sky,  and  dismal  si- 
lence reigns  around 
the  abandoned  ar- 
chitecture of  a for- 
gotten race.  Even 
the  carvings  of  ge- 
ometric ornaments, 
without  any  human 
or  animal  forms,  add 
to  the  gloom  of  this 
solitary  spot. 

The  present  gen- 
erations of  Oaxaca 
have  the  reputation 
of  being  the  steady, 
independent  moun- 
taineers of  Mexico; 
like  the  Swiss,  al- 
ways ready  to  defend 
their  rights.  Among 
them,  Porfirio  Diaz 
has  been  involved  in  every  contest  for  his  view  of  the 
right,  since  he  was  old  enough  to  bear  arms.  He 
was,  like  many  other  of  the  Mexican  generals,  in- 
tended for  the  bar,  and  studied  with  that  object, 
concluding  the  usual  course  in  the  seminary  at 
Oaxaca  ; but  in  1854  he  served  a campaign,  returning 


IMAGE  OF  A ZAPOTEC  CHIEF. 


PORFIRIO  DIAZ. 


395 


again  to  his  studies  only  for  a time.  In  the  so 
called  war  of  the  reform  he  distinguished  himself,  and 
during  the  intervention  was  conspicuous  as  a mili- 
tary leader.  In  the  disaster  of  Puebla,  when,  after 
the  brilliant  repulse  of  the  Cinco  dc  Mayo , the  Mexi- 
cans had  to  give  up  the  city  to  the  French,  Diaz 
escaped  being  taken  prisoner,  and  hastened  to 
Oaxaca,  the  city  of  his  birth,  which,  with  forces 
raised  by  his  own  efforts,  he  succeeded  in  putting 
in  a state  of  defence.  Bazaine  himself  marched 
against  the  resisting  city,  and  it  was  obliged  to 
capitulate.  Porfirio  was  carried  a prisoner  to 
Puebla,  and  there  held  ; but  he  managed  to  escape 
after  some  months  bv  letting  himself  down  from  his 
window  with  a rope  in  the  middle  of  the  night. 
This  was  in  September.  The  next  month,  returning 
with  a new  army,  Diaz  besieged  his  own  town,  now 
in  the  hands  of  those  who  were  lately  its  besiegers. 
While  his  brother  Felix  held  the  siege,  Porfirio 
routed  a column  of  French  coming  to  the  aid  of  the 
troops  within  the  city,  and  after  two  weeks  he  com- 
pelled a surrender  and  entered  it  in  triumph.  Por- 
firio, always  successful  in  his  contests  with  the 
French,  continued  so  after  their  support  was  with- 
drawn from  the  imperialists.  His  military  fame 
reached  its  height  after  the  taking  of  Puebla,  which 
was  the  last  act  in  the  French  intervention,  and  the 
peaceful  occupation  of  the  city  of  Mexico. 

All  these  feats  of  arms  gave  to  the  general  who 
accomplished  them  a military  prestige  of  great  im- 
portance in  a country  where  military  prowess  means 
so  mpeh  as  with  the  Mexicans.  The  revolution  of 


396 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


the  summer  of  1876  gained  importance  from  the 
arrival  of  Diaz  at  Vera  Cruz.  It  is  said  that,  alone 
and  disguised,  he  was  hastening  thither  from  New 
Orleans  in  a steamer  which,  touching  at  Tampico, 
took  on  board  a body  of  government  troops 
destined  for  the  same  port.  The  favorite  chief  of 
the  liberals,  seeing  that  he  was  recognized  by  one  of 
the  Federal  officers,  and  convinced  he  should  be 
arrested  by  him,  jumped  overboard  and  swam  away. 
He  was  seen  and  brought  back  to  the  steamer  by 
friends,  under  cover  of  the  dark,  and  so  well  con- 
cealed that  his  hiding-place  was  not  discovered,  and 
the  impression  was  encouraged  that  he  had  either 
reached  the  shore  by  swimming,  or  been  drowned. 
Disguised  as  a workman,  he  left  the  steamer  among 
the  boxes  and  bales  of  its  cargo,  and  landed  at  Vera 
Cruz.  Speedily  furnished  with  horses  and  guards  he 
made  his  way  to  Oaxaca,  where  he  took  command 
of  the  forces  of  the  rebellion,  hitherto  scattered  and 
insufficient  for  lack  of  a head. 

During  the  summer  there  was  fighting  and  much 
confusion,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  election  took 
place  for  the  choice  of  President  for  another  term  of 
four  years.  The  result  was  in  favor  of  Lerdo  de 
Tejada,  but  he  was  so  unpopular  that  he  was  obliged 
soon  after  to  leave  the  capital,  on  the  20th  of 
November,  accompanied  by  his  ministers  and  a few 
other  persons.  The  other  Lerdistas  hid  themselves, 
Congress  dissolved,  and  the  opposition  triumphed. 

Thus  ended  the  government  of  the  Lerdistas,  but 
a few  days  before  the  expiration  of  its  legal  term. 
On  the  24th  of  November,  General  Porfirio  Diaz 


397 


PRESIDENT  PORFIRIO  DIAZ, 


398 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


made  his  solemn  entry  into  the  capital,  and  was  pro- 
claimed Provisional  President. 

After  a good  deal  of  fighting  all  over  the  country, 
Congress  declared  him,  in  May  1877,  to  be  Consti- 
tutional President  for  a term  to  last  until  Novem- 
ber 30,  1880. 

It  was  just  after  this  successful  general  grasped 
the  prize,  that  Santa  Anna,  forgotten,  neglected,  old, 
and  blind,  died  close  by,  in  his  house  in  the  Calle 
de  Vergaza. 

But  little  more  remains  to  be  said  of  the  govern- 
ment of  Mexico  up  to  the  present  time.  President 
Diaz  was  able  to  consolidate  his  power,  and  to  re- 
tain his  seat  without  civil  war,  although  this  has 
been  imminent  at  times,  especially  towards  the  end 
of  his  term.  In  1880  General  Manuel  Gonsalez 
was  elected,  and  on  the  1st  of  December  of  that 
year,  for  the  second  time  only  in  the  history  of  the 
Republic,  the  retiring  President  gave  over  his  office 
to  his  legally  elected  successor.  That  this  was  pos- 
sible, is  proof  of  great  improvement  in  stability  and 
the  growth  of  steadiness  and  good  judgment  among 
the  Mexicans.  The  administration  of  Gonsalez 
passed  through  its  four  years  without  any  important 
outbreak,  in  spite  of  the  difficult  questions  there 
were  to  deal  with,  chief  among  them  the  huge  debt 
to  England,  contracted  in  the  early  days  of  the  Re- 
public, and  ever  increasing  by  reason  of  unpaid  in- 
terest. 

At  the  end  of  that  term,  General  Diaz  was  re- 
elected and  became  President  December  1,  1884. 
The  treasury  of  the  country  was  empty,  the  Repub- 


PORFIRIO  DIAZ. 


399 


lie  without  credit,  yet  he  has,  by  heroic  measures, 
succeeded  in  placing  his  government  upon  a tolera- 
bly stable  financial  basis,  and  done  much  to  restore 
the  foreign  credit  of  the  Republic.  President  Diaz 
is  disposed  and  able  to  serve  his  country  by  an  ad- 
vanced and  liberal  policy.  The  result  of  his  firmness 
and  judgment  is  already  seen  in  the  returning  con- 
fidence of  nations  and  foreigners  alike  in  Mexican 
affairs,  and  with  it' the  rapid  development  of  the  re- 
sources of  the  country. 

President  Diaz,  with  his  handsome  wife,  the 
daughter  of  his  Minister  of  the  Interior,  Manuel 
Romero  Rubio,  has  not  been  able  to  resist  the 
charm  of  Chapultepec,  in  spite  of  the  melancholy 
associations  hanging  about  the  spot  Carlotta  loved 
and  Maximilian  adorned  for  her  enjoyment.  The 
Pompeiian  apartments  are  restored,  and  the  hang- 
ing gardens  bloom  with  roses  all  the  year,  while 
fountains  sparkle  in  the  sunlight.  From  the  broad 
terrace  gleam  in  the  distance  the  cold  peaks  of  the 
volcanoes,  while  Mexico  spreads  wide  in  the  valley 
its  rectangular  lines,  every  year  stretching  out  far- 
ther in  all  directions,  a practical  proof  to  the  wise 
chief  of  the  administration,  as  he  looks  down  upon 
them  from  the  now  peaceful  height  of  his  terrace, 
of  the  success  of  his  schemes  of  improvement  and 
progress. 

Let  us  hope  that  the  tranquillity  is  permanent  and 
that  a long  season  of  peace  and  prosperity  has  come 
to  settle  upon  the  long  tormented,  much  enduring 
valley  of  Mexico,  and  the  broad  plateau  of  Ana- 
huac. 


400 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Now,  at  last,  may  the  Indians,  descendants  of  the 
Aztec  chief,  look  up  and  hope  for  the  development 
of  their  race.  For  the  first  time  in  history  they 
have  a chance  to  show  whether  they  are  capable  of 
taking  a leading  place  among  the  races  of  the  earth. 
Poor  fugitives,  hiding  among  the  rushes  of  the  lake, 
some  centuries  ago,  their  leaders  knew  how  to  build 
up  a powerful,  warlike  nation,  but  the  people  were 
oppressed  by  the  horrors  of  a bloody  religion,  de- 
graded and  kept  down  by  the  practice  of  human 
sacrifice.  The  Spanish  conquest  brought  them  other 
rulers,  and  priests  who  gave  to  them  a kindlier  faith  ; 
but  their  minds  were  little  cared  for,  and  they  were 
still  oppressed,  like  slaves,  by  the  new  race  which 
came  to  govern  them. 

Spanish  domination  civilized  the  Indians,  but 
scarcely  developed  the  powers  which  may  exist  in 
their  natures.  That  yoke  thrown  off,  they  have 
seen  their  day  of  real  freedom  once  and  again  post- 
poned, through  the  personal  ambition  of  their  own 
leaders,  or  the  audacious  interference  of  foreign 
powers,  while  their  own  blood  has  been  made  to 
flow  freely  for  causes  not  really  their  own.  In  spite 
of  all  this,  the  native  character  has  asserted  itself 
with  vigor  wherever  it  has  had  a chance.  Juarez, 
the  first  successful  ruler  of  Mexico  of  real  Mexican 
blood,  by  a true  Indian  trait  of  tenacity,  held  the 
government  through  the  dark  period  of  the  interven- 
tion. Diaz,  also  of  native  descent,  has  kept  the 
country  in  a progressive  path. 

The  true  native  character  of  Mexico  has  now  a 
chance  to  assert  itself.  The  future  will  look  on  with 


PORFIRIO  DIAZ. 


40 1 

interest  to  see  whether  it  has  the  capacity  of  self- 
government  which  its  friends  fully  ascribe  to  it.  If 
the  Mexicans  can  profit  by  the  sharp  lessons  taught 
them  by  the  events  of  the  present  century;  if  they 
can  root  out  of  their  nature  the  savage  instincts 
which  have  given  the  national  character  its  reputa- 
tion for  cruelty — instincts,  not  only  inherited  from 
the  bloody  practices  of  the  Aztec,  but  fortified  by  the 
dark  streak  of  ferocity  which  belongs  to  the  Spanish 
race  ; if  they  can  prove  that  the  development  of  intel- 
lectual powers  is  possible  to  the  race  as  well  as  to 
those  individuals,  then  their  country  has  before  it 
the  prospect  of  taking  an  honorable  place  among  the 
peoples  0/  the  western  continent. 


PHYSICAL  ADVANTAGES. 

The  physical  advantages  of  Mexico  are  favorable 
to  its  future  prosperity.  Of  its  great  range  of  climate, 
the  temperate  one  of  the  plateau  may  be  said  to 
be  almost  perfect.  By  descending  towards  the  coast 
all  the  delights  of  the  tropics  may  be  enjoyed,  while 
its  lofty  peaks  afford  adventure  for  the  enterprising 
climber,  ice  for  lower  regions,  and  all  the  attractions 
of  mountain  scenery.  Large  lakes  enhance  the 
beauty  of  the  landscape;  rivers,  though  not  large, 
answer  the  purposes  of  irrigation  and  boundary 
lines;  an  extended  coast-line  on  the  Pacific  and  that 
of  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  offer  opportunities,  not  yet 
much  developed,  for  admirable  harbors. 

There  is  every  variety  of  vegetation  in  this  varied 
climate.  Forests  of  valuable  woods,  such  as  mahog- 
any, ebony,  and  rosewoods,  extend  over  the  ticrra 
calicnte ; higher  up,  oak  and  pine  in  abundance  furn- 
ish supply  for  any  demand.  It  is  safe  to  say  that 
any  thing  may  be  cultivated  somewhere  in  Mexico. 
Corn,  beans,  wheat,  rice,  sugar  cane,  tobacco,  cotton, 
cocoa,  indigo,  vanilla,  are  at  present  raised  ; above  all, 
coffee,  which  has  a high  reputation — that  of  C6r- 
dova  and  of  Uruapam  especially.  The  latter  is  con- 


402 


PH  Y SICA  L ADI  “A  X PACE  S. 


403 


sidered  by  experts  to  be  not  only  equal  to  the  best 
Mocha,  but  similar  to  it  in  flavor.  It  is  possible 
that  it  belongs  to  the  same  variety,  brought  from 
Arabia  by  unknown  hands.  The  medicinal  plants  of 
Mexico  have  long  been  well  known.  Spanish  histo- 
rians at  the  time  of  the  conquest  all  speak  of  the 
knowledge  of  herbs  possessed  by  the  native  doctors. 
They  believed  that  all  the  ills  that  flesh  is  heir  to, 
might  be  cured  by  proper  use  of  the  herbs  of  the 
field  ; and  they  acquired  in  the  course  of  generations 
great  skill  in  adapting  the  remedy  to  the  disease. 
Many  of  the  drugs  in  general  use  all  over  the  world 
were  made  known  by  Mexican  research,  such  as  sarsa- 
parilla, jalap,  and  rhubarb  ; the  number  of  emetics, 
antidotes,  infusions,  decoctions,  ointments,  balsams, 
known  to  the  Aztecs,  was  enormous.  To  be  sure, 
they  attributed  much  of  the  power  of  these  drugs  to 
the  prayers  and  ceremonies  they  offered  up  while 
they  were  applying  them. 

The  flora  of  Mexico  is  equally  varied  and  beautiful. 
Growing  by  the  roadside  as  common  weeds,  are  to  be 
recognized  blossoms  which  are  the  pride  of  northern 
green-houses.  Many  ornamental  Mexican  plants 
became  first  known  in  the  United  States,  after  the 
war  of  1848.  Humboldt,  half  a century  before,  had 
described  the  wealth  and  profusion  of  Mexican 
vegetation.  As  for  fruits,  every  variety  may  be  cul- 
tivated, in  the  hot  lands  ; many  tropical  kinds  grow 
wild.  Any  market  in  any  Mexican  town  is  a delight 
by  reason  of  the  display  of  various  fruits,  heaped  up, 
to  tempt  the  customer,  in  little  pyramids,  and  made 
bright  with  flowers. 


404 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


Not  only  in  the  large  cities,  but  even  smaller  towns, 
travellers  should  be  sure  to  visit  the  market-place. 
Generally  one  day  in  the  week  is  market-day,  when 
all  the  population  swarms  to  the  plaza,  either  to  sell 
or  buy,  or  both.  It  is  the  same  in  many  towns  in 
Europe  ; but  Mexico,  at  present,  surpasses  Europe 
in  the  picturesque  costumes  of  the  common  people, 
the  primitive  fashion  in  which  they  display  their  sim- 
ple wares,  and  the  entertaining  activity  of  the  busy 
population. 

Each  booth  is  a small  enclosure,  built  of  low 
tables,  shaded  by  a huge  rectangular  umbrella  made 
of  matting  with  four  sticks  only.  A whole  Indian 
family  sits  within  at  the  receipt  of  custom.  The  old 
grandmother,  her  white  hair  smoothed  down  over  her 
wrinkled  old  brown  cheeks,  with  skinny  trembling 
hands,  but  a glance  like  a hawk’s,  is  taking  pay  or 
making  change.  Her  daughter,  the  efficient  business 
woman  of  the  establishment,  is  young  and  active.  H er 
long  black  hair  is  braided  down  her  back,  her  eyes 
are  bright,  her  teeth  flash  white  when  j’ou  make  her 
smile  by  a joke  about  her  prices.  The  father  of  the 
family  lolls  against  the  central  post  of  the  booth, 
tipping  up  his  chair,  after  a custom  not  inherited 
from  the  Aztecs,  but  borrowed  from  a neighboring 
nation.  The  tables  are  heaped  with  little  piles,  like 
cannon-balls,  of  red  ciruclas,  yellow  apricots,  or 
green  abogatos  ; in  their  season,  delicious  grenaditas, 
whose  cup-like  rind  contains  a juicy  draught  of  lus- 
cious flavor.  Oranges  and  bananas  are  on  the  table, 
under  the  table,  over  the  table,  everywhere.  If  you 
are  very  friendly,  the  old  lady  selects  you  as  a gift 


PHYSICAL  ADVANTAGES. 


405 


the  very  best  of  all  the  bananas.  Let  not  the  wan- 
derer from  the  north  be  surprised  to  find  it  is,  ac- 
cording to  his  estimation,  far  gone  in  decay.  The 
natives  eat  bananas  only  dead  ripe,  when  they  are 
beginning  to  grow  soft, — not  as  they  are  found  in 
the  northern  market,  hard  and  indigestible  after  a 
long  voyage  without  ripening  influences.  Hens  and 
chickens  are  straying  about,  and  a tough  old  rooster, 
tied  by  the  leg,  awaits  the  pot,  after  his  purchaser 
shall  have  been  found. 

You  select  such  little  heaps  of  fruit  as  please  your 
inexperienced  eye  ; a small  cargador,  all  eyes  and 
teeth,  springs  up  from  the  earth  at  your  feet,  with  a 
big  loose  basket  on  his  back.  Every  thing  you  buy 
is  tumbled  into  it ; he  follows  you  from  stall  to  stall, 
accumulating  such  treasures  as  you  select.  You  will 
not  be  able  to  resist  several  specimens  of  native 
pottery.  This  is  generally  spread  out  on  the  ground, 
while  the  vendor  sits  behind  it.  Manufacture  of 
coarse  pottery  is  carried  on  everywhere,  and  different 
regions  have  their  distinctive  varieties,  influenced  by 
different  colored  clays  and  methods  of  treatment. 
The  ware  of  Guadalajara  is  perhaps  the  most  es- 
teemed ; it  is  of  a soft  gray  in  tint,  polished  but  not 
glazed,  and  often  delicately  decorated  with  color  and 
gold.  But  every  village  has  its  characteristic  pottery, 
simple  in  form,  pleasing  in  color,  and  although  the 
pots  and  jugs  are  so  fragile  that  it  is  hopeless  to 
think  of  packing  them  securely,  it  is  impossible  to 
resist  their  attractions  compared  with  the  trifling 
sum  demanded  for  them. 

The  basket  of  your  cargador , well  filled  with  fruit 


40  6 


THE  STORY  OR  MEXICO. 


and  figs,  and  heaped  high  with  sweet  peas  and  pop- 
pies, the  little  fellow  runs  before  you  to  the  hotel 
wiiere  he  deposits  his  burden,  and  goes  away  fully 
content  with  a medio  in  his  hand — 6^  cents. 

A Mexican  market  is  interesting,  apart  from  such 
simple  purchases  as  the  traveller  may  be  inclined  to 
make  on  his  own  account,  because  the  people  are  all 
so  absorbed  in  their  own  affairs.  They  scarcely  give 
a thought  to  the  few  foreigners  with  European 
clothes  and  staring  manners  pok'ng  about  among 
them.  This  good  Indian  mother  has  come  to  buv 
the  daily  food  of  her  family.  Some  dreadful  viand 
is  dipped  for  her  out  of  a deep  dish,  and  transferred 
to  her  little  pottery  bowl.  A violent  discussion 
ensues  about  the  price  to  be  paid,  and  neighbors 
gather  round  to  offer  their  opinions.  The  rcbozos  of 
the  women  slip  off  their  heads  and  show  their  white 
shirts — not  always  white — and  their  brown  well- 
formed  arms.  The  men  look  on  idly  and  let  their 
better  halves  fight  it  out.  A compromise  is  effected, 
and  the  excitement  subsides  as  suddenly  as  it  rose. 
The  contested  sum  was  probably  a tlaco—  small,  but 
much-beloved  coin,  worth  one  cent  and  a half. 

Besides  the  manufacture  of  pottery,  the  Indians 
make  themselves  all  the  wearing  apparel  they  use, 
such  as  cotton  and  woollen  cloth,  including  scrapes 
and  rcbozos , the  two  picturesque  garments  in  constant 
use.  The  scrape  is  a woollen  blanket  which  every 
man  winds  about  him  whenever  the  air  is  a little 
chilly.  It  serves  him  many  a time  for  not  only 
blanket,  but  sheet  and  bed  as  well,  since  hissleeping- 
place  is  often  a sheltered  door-way,  and  no  more- 


PHYSICAL  ADVANTAGES. 


407 


Certain  towns  are  famous  for  their  serapes — those  of 
San  Miguel  are  especially  good,  and  some  of  them 
are  very  pretty.  Travelleis  buy  them  and  carry  them 
off  to  serve  as  portieres  or  afghans  at  home.  The 
Indian  taste  for  colors,  though  gaudy,  is  naturally 
controlled  by  a good  perception  of  harmonious  effects. 
Unluckily  in  late  years,  the  aniline  dyes  of  recent 
discovery  have  brought  into  the  country  a facility 
for  making  intense  purples,  magentas,  and  violent 
blues,  which  have  dazzled  their  untrained  eyes.  For 
this  reason,  many  modern  serapes  are  too  violent  in 
coloring;  and  aesthetic  collectors  must  seek  for  old 
fabrics,  among  which  some  examples  are  lovely  in 
tone.  The  rebozo  is  a long  broad  scarf,  generally 
blue,  worn  by  every  woman  over  her  head,  instead 
of  hat  or  bonnet.  It  protects  her  shoulders  also,  and 
conceals  whatever  deficiency"  of  style  or  cleanliness 
may  exist  underneath.  It  is  made  of  cotton,  but  has 
some  warmth  in  its  soft  folds.  The  dexterity  is 
wonderful  with  which  even  little  girls  wind  these 
wraps  around  their  heads,  in  such  a way  as  to  keep 
firm,  while  the  ends  fall  in  not  ungraceful  lines  over 
one  arm  laden  with  a basket,  a bundle,  or  a baby, 
while  the  other  arm  and  hand  are  free.  A large 
quantity  of  cotton  is  grown  in  Mexico,  and  upwards 
of  fifty  thousand  families,  Mr.  Janvier  says,  are  sup- 
ported in  its  manufacture.  The  cotton  mills  are  pro- 
vided with  English  machinery  of  approved  type,  and 
the  business  is  carried  on  by"  a few  operators  upon  a 
large  scale.  The  Indians  show  ready'  intelligence  in 
understanding  their  work  in  the  mills,  and  remark- 
able aptitude  in  acquiring  methods  of  handling  what- 


408 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


ever  improvements  in  machinery  may  be  from  time 
to  time  introduced. 

A large  establishment  for  the  manufacture  of 
cotton  cloth  not  far  from  the  city  of  Mexico,  which 
has  been  in  operation  for  years  in  the  hands  of  an 
English  house,  is  like  a little  city  in  itself.  Its  large 
enclosure  is  surrounded  by  strong  walls,  upon  which 
are  still  the  cannon  necessary  in  the  troublous  times 
of  the  young  Republic  to  protect  the  place.  Paved 
streets  within  the  great  gate  of  entrance  lead  to  the 
extensive  buildings,  the  home  of  the  families  of  the 
proprietors,  hung  with  vines  and  possessing  a beau- 
tiful garden,  where  superb  roses  blossom  all  the  year 
round,  while  from  beneath  the  shade  of  ancient  trees 
one  may  look  through  a gate-way  over  fields  of  al- 
falfa to  the  snow-peaks  of  the  twro  volcanoes.  More 
than  two  hundred  workmen  are  employed  in  this 
establishment.  They  are  all  natives  of  Mexico,  and, 
for  the  most  part,  the  superintendents  as  well  as  the 
operators  are  of  Indian  blood.  Every  means  is  taken 
to  educate  and  improve  the  condition  of  these  people 
and  their  families,  who  lead  happy,  intelligent  lives, 
encouraged  by  the  favor  of  their  employers  to  do 
their  best  for  the  success  of  the  mill  and  the  mutual 
well-being  of  all.  It  is  a little  community  of  interests. 

Of  late,  a large  unoccupied  room,  by  permission  of 
the  owner,  has  been  converted  into  a theatre  ; and 
here,  wholly  by  the  exertions  of  the  operatives  them- 
selves, a stage  has  been  erected,  where  plays  are  acted 
once  a week — the  men  themselves  taking  all  the  parts. 
Among  the  audience  are  the  families  of  the  em- 
ployers, readily  giving  encouragement  to  the  exhi- 


PHYSICAL  ADVANTAGES. 


409 


bition,  for  whom  a large  box  is  reserved.  The  In- 
dians of  the  neighborhood,  on  the  opening  night  of 
the  new  entertainment,  flocked  to  see  what  it  was 
like,  had  free  admission,  and  the  house  was  crowded 
with  an  amazed  and  delighted  audience.  Enthusi- 
asm was  great,  especially  when  the  national  banner 
was  waved  to  the  stirring  strains  of  the  fine  national 
march  of  Mexico. 

It  is  to  such  influences  as  these  that  Mexico  will 
owe  her  success.  The  native  race  requires  good 
masters,  good  examples,  and  the  opportunity  of 
good  intellectual  training,  to  enable  it,  in  future,  to 
walk  alone  up  the  steep  path  of  national  progress. 

The  great  source  of  wealth  in  Mexico  is  her  min- 
eral productions,  which  have  been  renowned  from 
the  early  period  when  they  allured  Cortes  and  his 
companions  to  endure  hardship  and  risk  defeat  on 
their  difficult  passage  up  to  Anahuac.  The  most 
sanguine  dreams  of  the  Spanish  conquerors  have  yet 
to  be  realized  in  the  possible  amounts  to  be  yielded 
from  these  mines  in  the  future,  when  stable  govern- 
ment shall  have  increased  the  population  of  the 
widespread  mining  districts  to  an  extent  capable  of 
developing  all  the  riches  they  contain. 

The  mines  of  Guanajuato,  which  have  been  the 
most  worked,  and  which  have  already  yielded  enor- 
mously, as  yet  give  no  signs  of  being  exhausted. 
The  soil  of  the  state  of  Guerrero  has  been  pro- 
nounced to  be  one  extensive  crust  of  silver  and  gold. 
The  northern  states  of  the  Republic  contain  inex- 
haustible veins  of  gold  and  silver  in  their  mountain 
ranges.  Silver  and  gold  are  the  metals  most  worked, 


AQUEDUCT  IN  THE  CITY  OK  MEXICO. 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


411 


while  other  metals  and  mineral  substances  are  al- 
most neglected,  although-  present  in  proportion. 
The  volcano  Popocatepetl  is  said  to  be  one  vast 
pile  of  sulphur.  In  every  state  there  are  quarries  of 
white  and  colored  marbles — those  of  Puebla  espe- 
cially remarkable  for  their  rich  veins  of  variegated 
colors,  which,  properly  worked,  would  make  beauti- 
ful decorative  columns  and  other  architectural  orna- 
ments. At  present,  the  specimens  of  this  “ Puebla 
onyx”  are  limited  to  paper-weights,  pen- handles, 
and  other  small  articles,  which,  without  any  solid 
value,  serve  to  show  the  variety  and  beauty  of  the 
material.  Precious  stones  are  not  unknown  in  Mex- 
ico ; opals,  with  fickle  rainbow  hues,  now  brilliant, 
now  vanished,  are  found  in  many  places,  and  coun- 
terfeited in  many  others.  Turquoise,  garnet,  topaz, 
and  amethyst  arc  among  the  native  jewels  of  the 
Mexican  mines. 


4 


XLIV. 

FUTURE. 

If  it  be  conceded  that  the  native  races  of  Mexico 
are  capable  of  development,  it  is  evident  that  what 
is  needed  for  their  elevation  from  their  present  low 
estate,  is  good  religion,  good  government,  and  good 
education. 

The  remnant  of  the  Aztecs  and  other  Indian  tribes 
owed  every  thing  to  the  judicious  treatment  of  the 
first  Roman  Catholic  priests.  The  wise  teachings  of 
these  men,  as  we  have  seen,  changed,  without  vio- 
lence, a barbarous  superstition  into  a gentle  belief  in 
the  truths,  and  especially  the  miracles,  of  the  Catho- 
lic religion  ; which  through  the  epoch  of  Spanish 
domination  retained  its  good  effect.  But  as  time 
went  on,  the  Church  became  so  powerful  and  so  rich, 
that  the  suppression  of  the  religious  orders  became 
a necessity  ; and  finally  Juarez,  although  undermuch 
resistance,  was  able  to  institute  this  radical  reform. 
The  final  extinction  of  these  orders,  the  suppression 
of  monasteries  and  nunneries,  was  not  achieved  until 
1874;  since  when  many  of  these  deserted  buildings 
have  been  appropriated  to  other  uses.  Others  re- 
main standing,  sad  monuments  of  a picturesque 
past  ; but  many  of  them,  interesting  on  account  of 


412 


FUTURE. 


413 


their  historic  associations,  have  disappeared,  torn  to 
the  ground,  to  make  way  for  modern  improvements. 

But  the  suppression  of  the  orders  was  not  accom- 
panied, except  in  the  case  of  the  Jesuits  in  1856,  by 
the  expulsion  of  their  members  from  the  country. 
On  the  other  hand,  these  were  still  permitted  to  re- 
main as  individuals  ; and  to  the  present  time,  the 
priests  ministering  to  the  churches  formerly  con- 
nected with  convents,  are  usually  members  of  those 
orders  by  which  such  churches  were  founded. 

In  any  one  of  the  smaller  cities  and  towns  the 
parish  priest,  almost  without  exception,  is  a worthy 
and  faithful  cura,  of  devout  and  godly  reputation, 
leading  among  his  flock  a simple  life,  wholly  occu- 
pied in  ministering  to  his  charge  according  to  the 
best  of  his,  abilities.  Since  the  enactment  of  the 
laws  of  the  reform  there  is  nothing  to  tempt  men 
to  adopt  their  calling  but  their  love  of  God  and  gen- 
uine interest  in  the  welfare  of  their  parish,  often 
composed,  for  the  most  part,  of  ignorant  Indians. 
These  men  are  entitled  to  honor  and  reverence  ; 
their  ample  reward  is  the  unwavering  devotion  of 
their  congregations,  and  the  satisfaction  they  may 
receive  from  observing  the  development  of  their 
simple  minds. 

In  the  year  1770,  the  Bishop  of  Puebla  published 
there  his  form  of  the  Mozarabic  liturgy,  the  most 
ancient  religious  service  of  the  Church  of  Spain, 
which  flourished  there  until  the  eleventh  century, 
when  it  was  supplanted  by  the  Roman  liturgy. 
Even  at  the  present  time  a chapel  exists  in  the 
cathedral  at  Toledo,  in  Spain,  where  this  service  is 


4>4 


THE  ST  OR  V OF  MEXICO. 


habitually  used,  although  in  presence  of  but  few  if 
any  worshippers. 

The  revival  of  Mozarabic  rites  in  Mexico  met  with 
little  attention ; but  its  introduction  alone  shows  a ten- 
dency towards  independence  of  thought,  very  mani- 
fest later  in  the  action  of  Juarez  in  the  sequestration 
of  Church  property.  Since  1868  a movement  in  favor 
of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  has  increased  to 
one  of  importance.  Other  Protestant  denominations 
maintain  missions  in  various  parts  of  the  country, — 
the  Presbyterian,  Methodist,  and  Baptist  missions. 

There  is  still  a wide  field  open  in  Mexico  for 
teaching  the  impressionable  native  of  Anahuac  the 
simple  tenets  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  Purity,  hon- 
esty, charity,  the  love  of  his  neighbor,  duty  to  him- 
self, the  knowledge  of  God, — these  sure  foundations 
of  life  are  only  needed  by  him  as  his  first  foothold 
in  upward  progress.  As  for  the  government,  its 
present  action,  its  promises  for  the  future,  are  for  the 
good  of  the  native  races.  All  persons  born  in  the 
Republic  are  free;  and  freedom  of  education,  free- 
dom to  exercise  the  liberal  professions,  freedom  of 
thought,  and  the  freedom  of  the  press  are  guaran- 
teed. That  this  government  should  prove  itself 
able  to  carry  out  its  intentions,  and  thus  encourage 
in  the  vast  area  under  its  control  the  presence  of 
order-loving  immigrants  from  other  countries,  who, 
instead  of  creating  and  promoting  disorder,  as  is 
often  the  case,  shall  set  the  example  of  industry  and 
domestic  living,  is  the  result  desired  by  all  true 
friends  of  Mexico.  Although  among  the  many 
Germans,  English,  and  Americans  who  have  settled 


FUTURE. 


415 


in  the  different  cities  and  states  of  Mexico,  there  are 
many  who  have  done  so  in  the  intention  of  earning 
honest  livelihoods,  without  interfering  with  their 
neighbors,  and  even  with  the  higher  motive  of  im- 
proving the  condition  of  those  around  them,  it  is  not 
yet  possible  to  say  that  the  example  of  the  foreigners 
settling  in  Mexico  has  been  an  advantage  to  its 
natives.  Many  of  the  acts  of  violence  ascribed  to 
Mexicans  might  be  traced  to  men  of  other  blood, 
who  have  sought  that  territory  because  they  were 
not  tolerated  elsewhere.  The  general  testimony  of 
such  observers  as  civil  engineers,  telegraph  men,  and 
others  who  in  the  development  of  the  resources  of 
the  country  have  penetrated  remote  parts  of  it,  is 
that  the  native  Mexican  is  peaceful  and  quiet  in  dis- 
position, leading  a domestic  life  with  his  faithful 
wife,  fond  of  his  children,  and  diligently  toiling  to 
support  his  family.  Of  course  there  are  exceptions 
to  this,  especially  when  the  pulque  habit  has  brutal- 
ized its  victims;  but  it  is  asserted  that  the  drunken 
quarrels  in  obscure  places,  often  reported  in  news- 
papers, resulting  in  pistol-shot  or  dagger  stroke, 
frequently  arise  less  through  the  fault  of  the  native 
than  of  the  adventurers  from  other  lands. 

Testimony  to  the  good  intentions  of  the  govern- 
ment of  Mexico  is  in  the  improved  condition  of  edu- 
cation there.  The  system  of  public  instruction  is  by 
no  means  perfect,  but  it  is  certainly  growing  better 
and  better.  Free  schools,  sustained  by  city  or  state, 
are  found  in  most  towns  and  villages,  even  the 
smallest.  Moreover,  private  schools  are  numerous 
in  all  the  large  towns  and  cities,  and  colleges  and 


4i  6 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


professional  schools  are  found.  All  of  the  Mexican 
states  (for  such  matters  are  left  to  the  jurisdiction  of 
each  separately)  compel  free  primary  instruction, 
and  appropriate  annual  sums  to  support  it. 

While  these  institutions  promise  much  for  the 
future,  Mexico  is  not  without  her  living  writers  who, 
in  spite  of  the  unfavorable  atmosphere  of  disturbed 
politics,  have  found  time  to  devote  themselves  to 
literature.  Guillermo  Prieto  has  a well  deserved 
fame  in  his  own  country,  and  outside  of  it  wherever 
he  is  known.  He  was  born  in  1810,  and  has  passed 
his  life  in  devotion  to  the  liberal  cause,  which  owes 
much  of  its  success,  to  his  personal  bravery,  the 
boldness  of  his  writings,  and  his  sagacious  manage- 
ment of  affairs.  He  has  served  in  the  higher  offices 
of  government,  and  written  upon  political  economy 
and  finance,  but  it  is  as  a poet  that  he  is  honored 
and  beloved.  Prieto  is  not  alone  as  a writer  of 
prominence,  but  of  others  there  is  not  room  to 
speak.  It  would  be  a mistake  to  suppose  that  Mex- 
ico was  lacking  in  the  possession  of  fine  minds,  cul- 
tivated intellects,  and  eloquent  pens. 

It  will,  of  course,  have  been  perceived  by  this* 
time  that  the  Mexicans  from  whom  so  much  is  ex- 
pected in  the  future  are  the  descendants  of  the 
Aztec  and  other  native  tribes.  These  form  a large 
part  of  the  population  of  the  country, — the  portion 
which  their  remote  origin,  and  the  vicissitudes  of 
their  stay  upon  Anahuac,  make  the  most  interesting 
to  the  romantic  lover  of  picturesque  history. 

The  country  is  occupied  also  by  those  descendants 
of  Spanish  families  who  avoided  the  decree  of  exile 
issued  in  the  early  days  of  independence.  Inter- 


FUTURE. 


417 


marriages  with  Indian  blood  have  crossed  this  stock, 
so  that  many  good  families  in  Mexico  have  Indian 
ancestors  among  their  Spanish  ones,  and  it  would 
probably  be  rare  to  find  a family  wholly  unmixed 
with  this  strain.  What  effect  this  grafting  of  Cas- 
tilian character  has  had  upon  the  native  stock,  is  a 
subject  interesting  to  students  of  national  character- 
istics. Cruelty  upon  cruelty,  superstition  upon  big- 
otry, might  be  pronounced  a dangerous  repetition 
likely  to  result  from  the  mixture  of  the  two  races 
which  established  the  Inquisition  and  revelled  in  the 
custom  of  human  sacrifice.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
lofty  pride  of  the  traditional  Spaniard  might  find  its 
match  in  the  inherited  love  of  splendor  of  the  de- 
scendant  of  the  Aztecs.  However  these  things  might 
be,  the  Mexican-Spaniard  has  not  attained  a high 
reputation  among  other  nations  for  honesty,  gen- 
erosity, or  elevation  of  character.  Whatever  may  be 
the  fairness  of  the  prejudices  against  him,  partly  due 
to  the  disadvantages  he  has  been  under  by  being 
judged  always  by  enemies  who  have  invaded  his  coun- 
try for  his  destruction  and  their  own  profit,  it  is  less 
to  this  race  than  to  that  of  the  pure  Indian  blood  of 
the  country,  that  Mexico  looks  for  the  regeneration 
of  her  future  history. 

Vast  tracts  of  profitable  land  in  Mexico  are  still 
unsettled.  As  the  government  becomes  more  and 
more  stable,  it  is  probable  that  these  will  be  occu- 
pied with  emigrants  from  all  other  nations,  eager  to 
develop  the  great  natural  resources.  There  are  at 
present  many  Germans  engaged  in  all  the  branches 
of  industry  ; and  Englishmen,  attracted  by  the  great 
mining  and  other  capabilities  of  the  country,  are 


418 


THE  STORY  OF  MEXICO. 


yearly  investing  more  and  more  capital  in  these  en- 
terprises. To  the  skill  of  English  engineers  is  due 
the  successful  achievement  of  the  Mexican  railway, 
the  first  built  of  the  great  lines  that  now  mark  up 
the  map  in  all  directions.  Many  a Mexican  company 
had  faced  the  chasm  between  the  capital  and  the 
gulf,  but  baulked  before  the  leap.  No  government 
lasted  long  enough  to  ensure  the  success  of  the  enter- 
prise, until,  in  1868  republican  stability  and  English 
capital  combined  to  push  it  forward,  and  in  1873 
the  road  was  opened  to  the  public. 

Two  great  lines  connecting  Mexico  with  the  United 
States — the  Mexican  Central  and  the  National  Rail- 
way— are  essentially  American  enterprises.  The 
Yankee  pervades  Mexico — not,  as  many  of  its  in- 
habitants fear,  with  the  deep  design  of  absorbing  all 
its  territory  into  the  already  large  domain  of  the 
United  States,  but  with  his  characteristic  instinct 
for  doing  a good  thing  for  himself.  He  finds  a per- 
fect climate,  a productive  soil,  a land  rich  in  metals 
and  minerals,  unlimited  space  for  future  railroads, 
telegraphs,  towns,  shops,  business.  There  are  in- 
stances. no  doubt,  where  he  thinks  he  has  found  a 
simple  native  population,  easily  imposed  upon,  whose 
ignorance  he  may  work  to  his  own  advantage.  But 
there  is  no  doubt  that  Yankee  liberality,  intelligence, 
conscience,  and  capital  have  already  done  much,  and 
will  do  far  more,  to  advance  the  civilization  of  the 
country,  and  lift  the  spirit  of  the  Aztec,  kept  low 
down  by  centuries  of  life  at  the  very  base  of  the 
social  pyramid,  so  that  it  may  ascend  higher  and 
higher  towards  its  apex. 


FUTURE . 


419 


The  darkest  days  of  the  Mexican  Republic  are 
over.  Its  members  have  learned  sharp  lessons  from 
adversity;  they  have  suffered  every  thing  that  their 
own  headstrong  conduct,  their  vain-glorious  ambition 
could  bring  upon  them — civil  war,  anarchy,  invasion 
by  the  army  of  a neighboring  government — their 
natural  friend  perverted  to  an  enemy  partly  by  their 
own  folly, — the  unwarranted  intervention  of  a foreign 
potentate,  the  difficulties  of  debt,  want  of  public 
faith,  a low  state  of  public  honesty. 

Out  of  all  these  troubles  they  have  bravely  emerged, 
and  now  take  their  stand,  heavily  weighted  still,  in- 
deed, with  the  burdens  of  past  mistakes,  among 
them  the  lingering  distrust  of  other  nations,  but 
young,  full  of  promise,  with  all  the  elements  sur- 
rounding them  of  a possible  great  future.  This 
future  must  depend  for  the  most  part  on  their  own 
exertions.  The  children  of  to-day  must  be  reared  in 
such  enlightened  fashion  that  they  may  avoid  the 
mistakes  and  crimes  of  the  generation  before  them  ; 
they  must  learn  to  long  for  honorable  peace,  and 
must  resist  the  pull  there  is  to  their  blood  for  change 
and  military  renown.  They  must  seek  glory  in  the 
permanence  of  their  institutions  and  the  develop- 
ment of  their  great  resources,  thus  slowly  winning 
the  confidence  of  other  nations. 

Then  they  will  find  these  other  nations,  and  es- 
pecially the  powerful  one  next  them  on  their  own 
continent,  ready  to  perform  the  neighborly  part  of 
protecting  their  interests,  sympathizing  in  their 
prosperity,  generously  willing  to  share  with  them 
the  growing  fame  of  the  civilization  of  America. 


INDEX. 


A 

Aak,  78 

Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  226 
Acamapichtli,  go 
Acapulco,  225 
Acatl,  76 
Acolhuacan,  gS 
Aculco,  246 
Aculhuas,  42 
' Agave,  34 

Aguilar,  Jerome  de,  138 
Agustin  I.,  see  Yturbide 
Ahuehuete , 22,  56 
Ahuitzotl,  105 
Aldama,  248 

Allende,  Ignacio,  joins  Hidalgo, 
241;  denounced,  244;  attacked 
by  Calleja,  246  ; forced  to  re- 
treat, 247  ; captured  and  shot, 
248 

Alta  California,  igo ; see  also 
California 

Alvarado,  137,  160,  163,  173,  ig4 
Amaquemecan,  38,  42 
Amecameca,  gg,  208 
Ampudia,  General,  318,  3ig,  322 
Anahuac,  6,  8,  12,  17,  33 
Anaya,  General,  334 
Angostura,  323 
Apan,  36 

Apodaca,  Viceroy,  25g,  262 
Arista,  General,  31 1,  342 
Atlantis,  21 
Atzacualco,  88 
A tzcapotzalco,  42,  43,  51 
, idiencia,  184 
Austin,  Moses,  304 


Axavacatl,  101,  158 
Ayaxzitl,  41 
Ayotzinco,  156 
Ayimtamiento,  184 
Azoteas , 127 

Aztecs,  43  ; emigration  of,  83  ; 
wanderings  of,  84  ; settlement 
at  Chapultepec,  86  ; driven  to 
the  islands,  87  ; found  Tenoeh- 
titlan,  88  ; their  civilization, 
8g  ; extent  of  the  kingdom, 
106  ; religion  of,  107  ; hiero- 
glyphics, hi  ; paintings,  112  ; 
religion,  1 14 ; domestic  life, 
1 15;  laws,  1 1 5 ; calendar, 
116  ; cycle,  118  ; agriculture, 
ug;  character,  120;  priest- 
esses, 121  ; policy  of  the  na- 
tion, 123 
Aztlan,  22 

B 

Bajan,  Las  Nonas  de,  248 
Balam,  78 
Barradas,  277 
Basch,  Dr.,  375 
“ Baths  of  Montezuma,”  57 
Baudelier,  quoted,  30,  38,  170 
Bazaine,  Marshal,  356,  360,  367, 
37i,  373 
Bocanegro,  277 
Bonaparte,  Joseph,  235 
Bonpland,  224 
Boot,  Adrian,  218 
Branciforte,  Marquis  of,  234,  235 
Bravo,  General  Don  Nicholas, 
262,  268,  274,  307,  321 


421 


422 


INDEX . 


Buena  Vista,  323 
Bustamente,  262,-  277,  278,  285, 
287,  288 

C 

Cacamatzin,  130,  154,  156 
Calderon,  battle  of,  247 
Calderon,  Conde  de,  see  Calleja 
Calderon,  Madame,  290  ; quoted, 
227,  273,  282,  284,  293 
Calderon,  Senor,  290 
California,  313,  316,  33S 
Calleja,  General,  246,  247,  252, 
258 

Calzadas,  80 
Calzonzi,  67,  176,  189 
Campeche,  132 
Canoas,  92,  127 
Cargadores , 4,  405 
Carlotta,  Empress  of  Mexico, 
350  ; her  character,  358,  364  ; 
goes  to  Europe,  367  ; inter- 
view with  Napoleon,  368  ; 
her  madness,  369 
Carratelas,  292 
Casa  de  Cortes,  28 
Casa  Grande,  13 
Casa-Mata,  268 
Catholic  Fathers,  9,  412 
Cazadero,  202 
Cempoallan,  143 
Cerro  de  Borrego,  battle  at,  355 
Cerro  Gordo,  330 
t eutla,  ruins  at,  1 7 
Chaak  Mool,  78 
Chalcas,  66 

Chalchiuhtlafonac,  26,  38 
Chaleo,  Lake,  12,  333 
Chapparral,  5 

Chapultepec,  86,  127,  156,  291, 
338,  3&2,  399 
Charles  V.,  10,  177,  214 
Charles  II.,  220 
Charles  III.,  226,  233 
Charles  IV.,  227,  233 
Chayero,  quoted,  117 
Chiapas,  18,  71,  265 
Chichi m ecati  Tecuhtli,  41 
Chichen-Itza,  76 


Chichimecs,  26,  38-44,  64,  87 
Chihuahua,  323 
Chilpantzingo,  252 
Chimalpopoca,  91,  94 
Chinampas , 228 
Cholollan,  28 

Cholula,  pyramid  of,  14,  100, 
106,  206 

Cliolultecas,  massacre  of,  154 
Churubusco,  333,  334 
Cinco  de  Mayo , 354 
Clerigos,  344 
Coahuila,  338 
Coatlicue,  121 
Coatzacoalco  River,  106 
Colima,  62 
Colorado  River,  24 
Columbus,  131 
Comonfort,  General,  356 
Conquistadores , 8,  12,  89 
Contreras,  Don  Pedro  Moya  de, 
216 

Copan,  17,  71 
Cordoba,  5 
Cordova,  132 

Cordova,  treaty  of,  264,  266 
Cortazar,  General,  285 
Cortes,  Fernando,  alluded  to, 
2,  3 ; birth  of,  135  ; character 
of,  136  ; commissioned  by 
Velasquez,  127  ; his  squadron, 

138  ; at  the  Tabasco  River, 

139  ; worshipped  as  Quetzal- 
coatl,  141  ; sends  gifts  to 
Montezuma,  141  ; visits  Cem- 
poallan, 143 ; destroys  the 
ships,  144 ; interview  with 
Montezuma,  147  ; conquers 
Tlaxcalla,  152  ; at  Cholula, 
154  ; arrives  in  Mexico,  156  ; 
meeting  with  Montezuma, 
157  ; seizes  Montezuma,  159  ; 
expedition  to  Vera  Cruz,  160  ; 
abandons  Mexico,  163  ; re- 
treat from  the  city,  164 ; 
gathers  a new  army,  171  ; 
campaign  against  Mexico,  1 73 ; 
at  Coyoacan,  175  ; conquers 
Michoacan,  176 ; expedition 
to  Honduras,  177  ; voyages  to 


INDEX. 


4-3 


Spain,  178  ; death  of,  178  ; 
burial  in  Mexico,  179 
Cortes,  Martin,  180 
Cotton,  92,  406’ 

Council  of  Music,  53 
Coxcox,  22 
Coyoacan,  175 
Cozumel,  138 

Cuahtemoc,  167,  170,  174,  175, 
178 

Cuauhnahuac,  92 
Cuautla,  252 
t uba,  1 32 
Cuepopan.  £8 
Cuernavaca,  28,  225 
Cuextecas,  io5 
Cuicuicatzin,  155 
Cuitlahuac,  101 
1 uitlahuatzin,  161,  166 
Cuitzao,  Lake,  62 
Culhuacan,  23 
Culhuas,  87 

D 

Diaz,  Bernal,  137;  quoted,  127, 
148,  181 

Diaz,  I’orfirio,  takes  Oaxaca, -37 1 ; 
takes  Puebla.  376,  384  ; a can- 
didate for  the  presidency,  390; 
at  the  head  of  the  revolution- 
ists again,  392  ; his  earlier 
life,  394 ; in  the  war  of  the 
reform,  395  ; campaign  against 
Oaxaca,  395  ; an  escape  from 
government  troops,  396  ; presi- 
dent. 398  ; re-elected,  398  ; 
his  home,  399 
Doblado,  346 
Dolores,  240 
Dominicans,  324 
Dominiguez,  Dona  Josefa,  258 
“ Drinking  cup  of  the  Eagle,” 
101 

E 

Escobedo,  General,  374,  375, 
378 

Estrada,  Gutierrez,  299,  349 


F 

Farias,  Valentine  Gomez,  279, 
282,  307,  321,  330 
Ferdinand  VII.,  234,  259 
Fischer,  Father,  371 
Forey,  Marshal,  356 
Franciscans,  324 
Fremont,  Colonel,  316 
Frijoles,  26 

G 

Galves,  Viceroy,  226,  228 
Garces,  Fray  Julian,  204 
Garibay,  Viceroy,  236 
Ghent,  Fray  Pedro  de,  192 
Gonsalez.  General  Manuel,  398 
Good-!' riday  in  Mexico,  294 
Gorostiza,  334 
Grant,  Ulysses,  quoted,  341 
Grenaditas,  Alhondiga  de,  243, 
24S 

Grijalva,  Juan  de,  132-134 
Grito  de  Dolores , 242 
Guadalajara,  193,  246 
Guadalupe-Hidalgo,  treaty  of, 
338 

Guanajuato,  19,  243,  409 
Guardias  Rurales,  29S 
Guatemala,  71,  265 
Guerrero,  259  ; joins  Yturbide, 
261  ; joins  in  the  Casa-Mata, 
26S  ; a candidate  for  the  presi- 
dency, 275  ; president,  277  ; 
his  government  overthrown, 
277  ; captured  and  shot,  27S 
Guillermo,  346 

Guzman,  Nuno  de,  184,  185-194 
Ii 

Herrara,  General,  262,  307,  342 
1 licuxaxe,  66 

Hidalgo,  Manuel,  birth  and  edu- 
cation, 238  ; life  at  Dolores, 

240  ; declares  independence, 

241  ; Grito  de  Dolores , 242  ; 
takes  Guanahuato,  243  ; takes 
Valladolid,  245  ; defeated  at 


424 


INDEX . 


Aculco,  246  ; defeated  at  Cal- 
deron, 247  ; captured  and  shot, 
248 

Hidalgo,  state  of,  41 
Historia  Chichimeca,  60 
Holy  Brotherhood,  tribunal  of, 
203 

Houston,  General,  305 
Huactlatohani,  41 
Huatusco,  ruins  at,  16 
Huehue-Tlapallan,  19,  24 
Huehuetoca,  218 
Huematzin,  24 
Huexotzinco,  106 
Huitzilihuitl,  91,  92,  94 
Huitzilopochtli,  29,  87,  88,  99, 
105 

Human  sacrifices,  102 
Humboldt,  Alexander  yon,  visits 
Mexico,  224-232 

I 

“ Iguala,  Plan  of,”  261 
Indian,  the  name,  184 
Indios,  184 
Inquisition,  196,  216 
Ire-Titatacame,  65 
Istaccihuatl,  6 

Iturrigaray,  Don  Jose  de,  224, 
236 

Itzcoatl,  96,  97,  98 
Ixtlilxochitl,  Fernando  de  Alva, 
23,  44,  60,  64 

Ixtlilxochitl,  king  of  the  Chichi- 
mecs,  44,  45,  94 
Ixtlilxochitl,  of  Texcuco,  130, 
154,  155,  171 
Xzamal,  81 

J 

Jaramillo,  Don  Juan  de,  183 
Jesuits,  324 
Jimenez,  247,  248 
Joinville,  Prince  de,  281 
Jorullo,  231 

Juarez,  Benito,  his  descent,  344  ; 
governor  of  Oaxaca,  345  ; 
president,  346  ; withdraws 
from  the  capital,  356  ; ad- 


vances to  Zacatecas,  374 ; 
enters  the  capital,  386  ; presi- 
dent, 387  ; character  of,  3S9  ; 
re-elected,  390  ; death  of,  390 
Juarez,  Dona  Catalina,  137,  x8i, 
182 

Juntas,  235 

K 

Kinich-Katmo,  78 

L 

Lane,  General,  340 
Leon,  Diego  Velasquez  de,  132, 
135,  137 

Leon  y Gama,  quoted,  117 
Le  Plongeon,  Dr.,  quoted,  78 
Lerdo,  Don  Sebastian  de  Tejada, 
39  L 396 

Lerma,  River,  219 
Le  Teja,  372 
Liberates , 344 
Lopez,  General,  377 
Lorencez,  General,  354 
Loreto,  Fort,  331 
Louis  Philippe,  281 

M 

Maguey,  35 

Malinche,  mountain  of,  46 
Malintzi,  birth  and  early  life, 
145  ; in  slavery,  146  ; given  to 
Cortes,  146  ; becomes  inter- 
preter, 147  ; appearance  of, 
149  ; escape  of,  164  ; life  with 
Cortes,  180;  marriage  of,  183  ; 
death  of,  183 
Marina,  see  Malintzi, 

Markets  in  Mexico,  228 
Marques,  General,  joins  the  cler- 
igos,  346  ; joins  Maximilian, 
372  ; becomes  quartermaster- 
general,  375  ; sent  to  the  capi- 
ta^ 375  ! his  escape,  384 
Martin  de  Valencia,  Fray,  208, 
211 

Martinez,  Enrico,  218,  219 


INDEX. 


425 


Maximilian,  emperor  of  Mexico, 
350  ; his  character  and  aims, 
352  ; arrives  in  Mexico,  357  ; 
his  reception,  358  ; life  at 
court,  360  ; policy  of,  362  ; 
appeals  to  Napoleon,  367  ; 
prepares  to  leave  Mexico,  369  ; 
goes  to  Orizaba,  370  ; influence 
of  the  clerical  party,  371  ; re- 
turns to  Mexico,  372  ; at 
Queretaro,  374  ; his  appear- 
ance described,  376  ; a prison- 
er. 378  I death  of,  380 
Maxixcatzin,  171 
Maxtla,  44,  48-51,  92-97 
Mayapan,  71,  72 
Mayas,  18,  70— S2 
Mayorga,  Viceroy,  226 
Meconetzin,  36 
Meija,  General,  373,  37S,  380 
Mendez,  378 

Mendoza,  Antonio  de,  character 
of,  191  ; his  administration, 
192-202 
Merida,  So 
Mexcalla,  106 
Mexicans,  51 

Mexico,  climate  of,  5 ; relief  of, 
6 ; early  races  of,  9 ; govern- 
ment of,  10;  natural  resources 
of,  it,  402  ; roads  in,  80  ; na- 
tives of,  185  ; mines  of,  229, 
41  9 ; society  in,  290  ; women 
of,  292  ; soldiers,  30S  ; vege- 
tation, 402  ; flowers,  403  ; 
market-place,  404  ; schools  of, 
415  ; literature  of,  416;  rail- 
ways in,  418 
Mexitli,  84 
Mexitzin,  90 
Mescal,  36 

Michoacan,  19,  62-69,  106,  176, 
194 

Mines  of  Mexico,  229,  409 
Miramon,  General,  joins  the 
clerigos,  346,  349  ; joins  Maxi- 
milian, 372  ; advances  to  Za- 
catecas, 374  ; raises  troops  for 
Maximilian,  375  ; taken  pris- 
oner, 37S  ; shot,  3S0 


Mitla,  393 
Mixcoatl,  40 
Mixtecas,  19 

Molino  del  Rey,  334,  360 
Monasteries,  suppression  of,  412 
Montaiio,  176 
Monte  de  la  Cruces,  245 
Monteleone,  Dukes  of,  179 
Monterey,  317 

Monterey  (in  California),  314 
Montezuma  I.,  92,  9S,  too 
Montezuma  II.,  101,  124  ; coro- 
nation of,  125  ; court  of,  12s  ; 
interview  with  Cortes,  147, 
157  ; a prisoner,  159  ; death 
of,  161 

Montezuma,  Conde  de,  220 
Montezuma’s  Cypress,  129 
Morales,  General,  328 
Morelia,  194,  251 
Morelos,  Jose  Manuel,  birth  of, 
250;  education  of,  251  ; joins 
the  Independents,  251;  de- 
fends Cuautla,  252  ; calls  first 
Mexican  congress,  252  ; ap- 
pointed captain-general,  253  ; 
defeated  at  Valladolid,  254  ; 
captured,  254  ; shot,  254  ; his 
character,  255 
Morelos,  state  of,  41 
Mound  Builders,  20 
Moyotla,  88 
Mozarabic  liturgy,  413 

N 

Nachan,  71 
Nahuas,  19,  20 

Nahuatl,  language,  ig,  27  ; le- 
gends, 22  ; family,  70 
Napoleon  I.,  235 
Napoleon  III.,  349,  360,  366, 
36S_ 

Naranjan,  Princess  of,  65 
Nata  and  Nana,  legend  of,  23 
National  Museum  of  Mexico,  33 
Nevada  de  Toluca,  29 
New  Mexico,  313,  338 
New  Spain,  extent  of,  190 
Nezahualcoyotl,  44-61,  96,  98 


426 


INDEX. 


Nezahualpilli,  105,  125,  130 
Noche  Triste,  La,  163 
Nopal,  87 

Noriega,  General,  384 
Northers,  r,  3 

Novella,  Francisco,  263,  264 
Nueva  Leon,  316 

O 

Oaxaca,  275,  392 
Obregon,  229 

O’Donoju,  Don  Juan,  223,  263- 
266 

Oidores,  185 

Olid,  Christobal  de,  137,  173, 
176,  177 

Olmedo,  Father,  182 
Orizaba,  1 

Ortega,  General,  346,  356 
Otomis,  tribe  of,  19,  152 
Otoncapolco,  164 
Otumba,  battle  of,  168,  170 

P 

Painala,  145,  183 
Palenque,  ruins  at,  17,  72-76 
Palo  Alto,  battle  at,  311 
Paredes,  Don  Maria,  284,  285, 
307,  319 

Parian,  The,  275 
Paseo,  291 

Patzcuaro,  63,  68,  194,  230 
Payne  and  Zarate,  quoted,  37 
Pedraza,  Manuel  Gomez,  275, 
276,  27S,  282 
P cones,  256 

Philip  II.,  9,  199,  214,  219 
Philip  III.,  219 
Philip  IV.,  219 
Philip  V.,  233 
Pillow,  General,  336 
Pita,  35 
Popocatapetl,  6 
Popotla,  164 
Pottery  of  Mexico,  405 
Prieto,  Guillermo,  346,  416 
Princess  of  Cloth,  92 
Puebla,  204,  206,  262,  330,  333, 
354.  356 


Puebla,  state  of,  41 
Pulque,  23,  35 

Q 

Quemadero,  216 

Queretaro,  19,  246,  262,  374,  375 
Quetzalcoatl,  29  ; legends  of, 
3°.  33.  1 3 1 I influence  of,  32; 
statue  of,  34 
Quinames,  18 
Quinatzin,  42 

Quiroga,  Vasco  de,  197,  238 

R 

Railways  in  Mexico,  418 
Rebozos,  296,  406 
Reclamacion  de  los  Pas  teles,  281 
Revillagigedo,  Don  Juan  Vicente 
de  Giiemes  Pacheco  de  Pa- 
dilla, Conde  de,  220-222 
Robbers,  297 

Royal  University,  founded,  203 
Rubio,  Manuel  Romero,  399 

S 

Sabine  River,  305 
Sacramento,  323 
Salanueva,  Don  Antonio,  345 
Salm-Salm,  Prince  of,  375  ; Prin- 
cess of,  378 
Salomea,  Pass  of,  393 
Saltillo,  316 

San  Christobal,  Lake,  12 
San  Diego,  252 

San  Juan  de  Uloa,  137,  236, 
281,  330 

San  Juan  Teotihuacan,  168 
San  Luis,  19 

San  Nicholas,  Colegio  de,  230, 
238,  251 

Sandoval,  Gonzalo  de,  173 
Santa  Anna,  Antonio  Lopez  de, 
267  ; his  connection  with 
Yturbide,  273  ; at  Oaxaca, 
275  ; defeats  a Spanish  force, 
277  ; becomes  president,  27S  ; 
in  Texas,  279  ; a prisoner. 


INDEX. 


427 


280;  defeats  a French  squad- 
ron, 281  ; his  home  at  Manga 
la  Clava,  2S2  ; rivalry  with 
Pedraza,  283  ; with  Meija, 
284  ; president  again,  287  ; at 
the  head  of  the  army,  308  ; 
returns  from  Cuba,  320  ; in 
the  war  with  the  United 
States,  330-338  ; retires  to 
Jamaica,  340;  made  Dictator, 
344  ; conspires  against  the 
government,  387  ; banished, 
388  ; death  of,  388,  398 
Schools  of  Mexico,  415 
Scott,  Winfield,  323,  324,  328, 
330,  337,  339 
Serape,  406 

Shining  Serpent,  see  Quetzal- 
coatl 

Sicuiracha,  65 

Small-pox  among  the  Aztecs, 
167 

Spanish,  expelled  from  Mexico, 
274 

St.  Domingo,  135 
Sun,  sacrifices  to,  102 

T 

Tabasco  River,  133,  139 
Tamaulipas,  270 
Tangoxoan  II.,  67,  176 
Tarascans,  65  ; customs  of,  68 
Taylor,  General,  312,  316,  337, 
339 

Tecpancultzin,  28,  36 
Tehuacan,  254 
“ Temple  of  the  Cross,”  74 
Tenoch,  89,  90 
Tenochtitlan,  43,  88,  126,  175 
Teocallis,  9 

Teotihuacan,  pyramid  of,  18  ; 
city  of,  28  ; visited  by  Hum- 
boldt, 229 

Tepanecas,  tribe  of,  43,  44,  87, 
91 

Tequila,  36 

Texas,  revolts  against  Mexico, 
305  ; annexed  to  the  United 
States,  306  ; in  the  treaty  of 
Guadalupe-Hidalgo,  338 


Texcuco,  Lake,  12,  219 
Texcuco,  kingdom  of,  44  ; gold- 
en age  of,  53  ; literature  of, 
54  ; decline  of,  60  ; the  king- 
dom divided,  130 
Tezcatlipoca,  23,  30 
Tezcotzinco,  56 

Tezozomoc,  king  of  Azcapot- 
zalco,  44,  94 

“ Three  Guaranties,  The,”  261 
Tierra  caliente,  402 
Tixiacuri,  66 
Tizoc,  reign  of,  101 
TIacopan,  kingdom  of,  42 
Tlatelolca,  97,  167 
Tlaxcalla,  subject  to  the  Chi- 
chimecs,  41  ; the  name,  46, 
47  ; Corte's  goes  to,  144  ; posi- 
tion of,  151  ; resists  the  Span- 
iards, 152  ; forced  to  make 
peace,  153;  head-quarters  of 
Cortes,  172 
Tollan,  see  Tula 
Tollanzinco,  24 

Toltecs,  legend  of  their  origin, 
23  ; traditions  of,  24  ; appear- 
ance of,  26  ; customs  of,  27  ; 
duration  of  the  kingdom,  37  ; 
wars,  40  ; defeated,  41 
Toluca,  28 
Tonacatecuhtli,  27 
Topiltzin-Meconetzin,  37 
Trujillo,  245 
Tula,  17,  24,  41,  71 
Tzintzuntzan,  66,  67,  198 

U 

Ulmecas,  tribe  of,  18 
United  States,  result  of  the  war 
with  Mexico,  339  ; action  of, 
regarding  the  Mexican  Em- 
pire, 365 

V 

Valencia,  Fray  Martin  de,  193 
Valencia,  General,  284,  287 
Valenciana,  Count  of,  see  Obre- 
gon 


42S 


TNDEX. 


Valenciana,  mines  of,  229 
Valladolid,  194,  196,  230,  24.5, 
246,  253,  262 

“ Valley  Confederates,”  9S 
Velasco,  Luis  de,  second  viceroy, 
203 

Velasquez  de  Leon,  Diego,  gov- 
ernor of  Cuba,  135  ; sends 
Grijalva  to  Mexico,  136  ; is 
jealous  of  Cortes,  137 
Venegas,  Don  Francisco,  237, 
243,  248,  253 

Vera  Cruz,  1,  4,  41,  142,  321, 
328 

Vicwoys,  9 ; number  of,  223 
Victoria,  Don  Felix  Fernandez, 
.273,  274 

Vidaurri,  General  Santiago,  383, 

384 

Viga  Canal,  228,  292 
Votan,  80 

W 

“ Wanderings  of  the  Aztecs,” 
picture  of,  1 12 

Worth,  General,  323,  330,  331 
X 

Xicalancas,  tribe  of,  18 
Xicotencatl,  152 
Xochicalco,  pryamid  of,  16,  28, 
225 


Xochimilco,  12 
Xochiquetzal,  22 
Xochitl,  36,  41 
Xoconochco,  106 
Xolotl,  chief  of  the  Chichimecs, 
40,  42 

Y 

Yturbide,  Agustin  de,  260  ; an- 
nounces “ Plan  of  Iguala,” 
261  ; takes  Valladolid,  262  ; 
enters  the  capital,  264  ; made 
preside. .t,  265  ; proclaimed 

emperor,  266  ; crowned,  267  ; 
deposed,  2OS  ; leaves  the 
country,  26S  ; declared  a 
traitor,  268  ; returns  and  is 
executed,  270  ; his  character, 
271 

Yucatan,  18,  70,  132 
Z 

Zamna,  80 

Zapotecas,  tribe  of,  19,  393 
Zaragoza,  General,  346,  354 
Zoquipan,  88 
Zovanga,  67 

Zumarraga,  Fray  Juan  de,  207 
Zumpango,  Lake,  12 
Zuniga,  Dona  Juana  de,  183 


Jh  Selection  from  the 
Catalogue  of 

G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS 

* 


Complete  Catalogues  sent 
on  application 


The  Story  of  the  Nations. 


In  the  story  form  the  current  of  each  National  life 
is  distinctly  indicated,  and  its  picturesque  and  note- 
worthy periods  and  episodes  are  presented  for  the 
reader  in  their  philosophical  relation  to  each  other 
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and  struggled — as  they  studied  and  wrote,  and  as 
they  amused  themselves.  In  carrying  out  this  plan, 
the  myths,  with  which  the  history  of  all  lands  begins, 
will  not  be  overlooked,  though  these  will  be  carefully 
distinguished  from  the  actual  history,  so  far  as  the 
labors  of  the  accepted  historical  authorities  have 
resulted  in  definite  conclusions. 

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the  chief  events  in  the  great  Story  of  the  Nations; 
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THE  STORY  OF  THE  NATIONS 


^GREECE.  Prof.  Jas.  A.  Harrison. 
ROME.  Arthur  Gilman. 

THE  JEWS.  Prof.  James  K.  Hos- 
mer. 

CHALDEA.  Z.  A.  Ragozin. 
GERMANY.  S.  Baring-Gould. 
NORWAY.  Hjalmar  H.  Boyesen. 
SPAIN.  Rev.  E.  E,  and  Susan 
Hale. 

HUNGARY.  Prof.  A.  Vdmbery. 
CARTHAGE.  Prof.  Alfred  J. 
Church. 

THE  SARACENS.  Arthur  Gil- 
man. 

THE  MOORS  IN  SPAIN.  Stanley 
Lane-Poole. 

THE  NORMANS.  Sarah  Ome 
Jewett. 

PERSIA.  S.  G.  W.  Benjamin. 

ANCIENT  EGYPT.  Prof.  Geo. 
Rawlinson. 

ALEXANDER’S  EMPIRE.  Prof. 
J.  P.  Mahaffy. 

ASSYRIA.  Z.  A.  Ragozin. 

THE  GOTHS.  Henry  Bmdley. 
IRELAND.  Hon.  Emily  Lawless. 
TURKEY.  Stanley  Lane-Poole. 
MEDIA,  BABYLON.  AND  PER. 

SIA.  Z.  A.  Ragozin. 
MEDLEVAL FRANCE.  Prof.  Gus- 
tave Masson. 

HOLLAND.  Prof.  J.  Tborold 

Rogers. 

MEXICO.  Susan  Hale. 
PHOENICIA.  George  Rawlinson. 


THE  HANSA  TOWNS.  Helen 

Zimmem. 

EARLY  BRITAIN.  Prof.  Alfred 
J.  Church. 

THE  BARBARY  CORSAIRS. 

Stanley  Lane-Poole. 

RUSSIA.  W.  R.  Morfill. 

THE  JEWS  UNDER  ROME.  W. 
D.  Morrison. 

SCOTLAND.  John  Mackintosh. 
SWITZERLAND.  R.  Stead  and 
Mrs.  A.  Hug. 

PORTUGAL.  H.  Morse-Stephens. 

THE  BYZANTINE  EMPIRE.  C. 
W.  C.  Oman. 

SICILY.  E.  A.  Freeman. 

THE  TUSCAN  REPUBLICS 
Bella  Duffy. 

POLAND.  W.  R.  Morfifl. 
PARTHIA.  Geo.  Rawlinson. 
JAPAN.  David  Murray. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  RECOVERY 
OF  SPAIN.  H.  E.  Watts. 
AUSTRALASIA.  Greville  Trcgar- 
then. 

SOUTHERN  AFRICA.  Geo.  U. 
Theal 

VENICE.  Alethea  WieL 
THE  CRUSADES.  T.  & Arch« 
and  C.  L.  Kingsford. 

VEDIC  INDIA.  Z.  A.  Ragoda 
BOHEMIA.  C.  E.  Maurice. 
CANADA.  J.  G.  Bourinot. 

THE  BALKAN  STATES.  WUBm 
Miller. 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  NATIONS 


BRITISH  RULE  IN  INDIA.  R. 
W.  Frazer. 

MODERN  FRANCE.  Andrd  Le 
Bon. 

THE  BRITISH  EMPIRE.  Alfred 
T.  Story.  Two  vols. 

THE  FRANKS.  Lewis  Sergeant. 
THE  WEST  INDIES.  Amos  K. 
Fiske. 

THE  PEOPLE  OF  ENGLAND, 
Justin  McCarthy,  M.P.  Two 
vols. 

AUSTRIA.  Sidney  Whitman. 
CHINA.  Robt.  K.  Douglass. 
MODERN  SPAIN.  Major  Martin 
A.  S.  Hume. 

MODERN  ITALY.  Pietro  Orsi. 
THE  THIRTEEN  COLONIES. 

Helen  A.  Smith  Two  vols. 
WALES  AND  CORNWALL.  Owen 
M.  Edwards. 

MEDIAEVAL  ROME.  Wm.  Miller. 


THE  PAPAL  MONARCHY.  Wm, 
Barry. 

MEDIEVAL  INDIA.  Stanley 
Lane-Poole. 

BUDDHIST  INDIA.  T.  W.  Rhys- 
Davids. 

THE  SOUTH  AMERICAN  RE- 
PUBLICS.  Thomas  C.  Daw- 
son. Two  vols. 

PARLIAMENTARY  ENGLAND. 
Edward  Jenks. 

MEDIAEVAL  ENGLAND.  Mary 
Bateson. 

THE  UNITED  STATES.  Edward 
Earle  Sparks.  Two  vols. 

ENGLAND.  THE  COMING  OF 
PARLIAMENT.  L.  Cecil  Jane. 

GREECE:  EARLIEST  TIMES  TO 
A.D.  14.  E.  S.  Shuckburgh. 

ROMAN  EMPIRE,  THE,  B.C.  29^ 
A.D.  476.  By  N.  Stuart  Jones, 

M.A. 


Heroes  of  the  Nations. 


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HEROES  OF  THE  NATIONS 


NELSON.  By  W.  Clark  Russell. 

GUSTAVUS  ADOLPHUS.  By  C- 
R.  L.  Fletcher. 

PERICLES.  By  Evelyn  Abbott. 

THEODORIC  THE  GOTH.  By 
Thomas  Hodgkin. 

SIR  PHILIP  SIDNEY.  By  H.  R. 
Fox-Boume. 

JULIUS  CAJSAR.  By  W.  Warde 
Fowler. 

WYCLIF.  By  Lewis  Sergeant. 

NAPOLEON.  By  W.  O'Connor 
Morris. 

HENRY  OF  NAVARRE.  By  P. 
F.  Willert. 

CICERO.  By  J.  L.  Strachan* 
Davidson. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN.  By  Noah 
Brooks. 

PRINCE  HENRY  (OF  PORTU- 
GAL) THE  NAVIGATOR. 
By  C.  R.  Beazley. 

JULIAN  THE  PHILOSOPHER. 
By  Alice  Gardner. 

LOUIS  XIV.  By  Arthur  Hassall. 

CHARLES  XII.  By  R.  Nisbet 
Bain. 

LORENZO  DE’  MEDICI.  By  Ed- 
ward Armstrong. 

JEANNE  D’ARC.  By  Mrs.  Oli- 
phant. 

CHRISTOPHER  COLUMBUS  By 
Washington  Irving. 

ROBERT  THE  BRUCE.  By  Sir 
Herbert  Maxwell. 

HANNIBAL.  By  W.  O’Connor 
Morris. 


ULYSSES  S.  GRANT.  By  William 
Conant  Church. 

ROBERT  E.  LEE.  By  Henry 
Alexander  White. 

THE  CID  CAMPEADOR.  By  H 
Butler  Clarke. 

SALADIN.  By  Stanley  Lane- 
Poole. 

BISMARCK.  By  J.  W.  Head- 
lam. 

ALEXANDER  THE  GREAT.  By 
Benjamin  I.  Wheeler. 

CHARLEMAGNE.  By  H.  W.  C. 
Davis. 

OLIVER  CROMWELL.  By 
Charles  Firth. 

RICHELIEU.  By  James  B.  Per- 
kins. 

DANIEL  O’CONNELL.  By  Rob- 
ert Dunlop. 

SAINT  LOUIS  (Louis  IX-  ot 
France).  By  Frederick  Perry. 

LORD  CHATHAM.  By  Walford 
Davis  Green. 

OWEN  GLYNDWR.  By  Arthur 
G.  Bradley. 

HENRY  V.  By  Charles  L.  Kings- 
ford. 

EDWARD  I.  By  Edward  Jenks. 

AUGUSTUS  GESAR.  By  J.  P 
Firth. 

FREDERICK  THE  GREAT.  By 
W.  F.  Reddaway. 

WELLINGTON.  By  W.  O’Connor 
Morris 

CONSTANTINE  THE  GREAT.  By 
J.  B.  Firth. 


HEROES  OF  THE  NATIONS 


MOHAMMED. 


By  D.  S. 


WASHINGTON.  By  J.  A. 


Harrison. 

WILLIAM  THE  CONQUER. 
OR.  By  F.  M.  Stenton. 

Other  volumes  In  preparation  are  : 

MARLBOROUGH.  By  C.  W.  C. 
Oman. 


Margoliouth. 

CHARLES  THE  BOLD.  By 
Ruth  Putnam. 

MOLTKE.  By  Spencer  Wilkinson. 
JUDAS  MAGCABACUS.  By  Israel 
Abrahams. 

SOBIESKI.  By  F.  A.  Pollard. 
ALFRED  THE  TRUTHTELLER, 
By  Frederick  Perry. 
FREDERICK  II.  By  A.  L. 
Smith. 


RICHARD  THE  LION-HEARTED. 
By  T.  A.  Archer. 

WILLIAM  THE  SILENT.  By 
Ruth  Putnam. 

GREGORY  VII.  By  F.  Urquhart 


New  York— G.  P.  PUTNAM’S  SONS,  Publishers— London 


>! 

•v* 


